News and Personal dispatches from the front and the home front.
In their own words:
Afghanistan Shrugged: Get Thomas Jefferson on SATCOM! - I must have slept through this block of instruction in Infantry Officer Advanced Course. Setting up a voter registration site? I don’t really recall any such training in all of the courses that I’ve attended. I studied polysci in college but that was only because it was easy and didn’t interfere with my beer drinking and getting tan. Man, if I’d only know that I was going to need it 20 years later I’d have paid better attention. I’m standing on a dirt soccer field in front of a school in the northern part of the Goumal district. The school is the only symbol of the centralized government in Kabul, in fact neither the coalition forces or the ANA have even been here in the last two years. The school is simply built, small a couple of rooms; unusable in the winter month because there’s no central heat, heck there’s no decentralized heat. It’s the symbol that Kabul is doing something for the people. (READ MORE)
A Battlefield Tourist: The First Step - Getting ready for this embed will be relatively easy since I still have all my survival gear from Iraq, 2007. The biggest hurdles come in other places, like juggling finances, profession and everything else needed to be a “family man”. As I mentioned earlier, I was hoping to be in a position to take this part time job back to full time, but economically, it just would not be a prudent move at this time. So like last time, I needed to hope for the blessings of others in order to make something happen. People often ask how I do this, or do that, or whatever, and it is a hard question to answer because I am sure I do it my own, unique way (relatively speaking). (READ MORE)
Bad Dogs and Such: [grumble grumble] - I finally dragged myself out of my nice cozy rack around...oh, well, suffice it to say it wasn't early. Not even remotely. With nothing on the horizon until a 1300 "chat," I made coffee and stood on my porch, surveying my (limited) domain. Things appeared...hazy. I climbed up on a pile of sandbags and looked across the helopad. Quite hazy. Things developed. The weather progressed from slightly hazy to downright dusty. It's nasty - the dust doesn't seem that bad outside until you look down and realize there's a thick coat on everything. You go indoors to escape it, and realize it's working its way around the door, in through the air conditioner, around the taped windows. Dust sucks less here than it did living in tents, but it still suck. (READ MORE)
Bill and Bob's Excellent Adventure: And The Winner Is... Substance - I differed with Andrew Exum of Abu Mukuwama in my review of Nir Rosen's article in Rolling Stone detailing his "embed" with the Taliban, which turned out to be, I thought, totally lacking in substance. It was more a tale of how his life was in danger as he was shuttled about by "Taliban" underlings. He in no way delved into the subjects that Ghaith Abdul Ahad, an Iraqi journalist who is published in The Guardian this week, plumbed thoroughly. Ghaith Abdul Ahad blows Rosen clean out of the water and shows Rolling Stone up for the pop outlet that it is, rather than a serious source of information. Ghaith Abdul Ahad has produced an excellent look at some insurgents who have their act together. They know what they are doing. Read the article for a quick course in Insurgency 101. Qomendan Hemmet is the real deal. (READ MORE)
Down Range 46: Breaking Contact - In the Army we use an operational term, generally reserved for tactical situations - "break contact". We use this term as a directive during tactical situations in order to discontinue any contact with an opposing force. However, like so many aspects of military life the tactical starts to merge with the practical. Today, the term "Break contact" is used in everyday army life too. Someone might say, "okay, let's break contact," to signal the end of a conversation or meeting. In general, the term signals an end to any contact with another individual or group (informally speaking). So, here we are at the end of phase one of our deployment - phase one comprising of our time here in Bryan for our pre-mobilization training (to include our three weeks at Ft. Dix). (READ MORE)
Embrace the Suck: Institution of Imbeciles... - Saturday, December 21, 2008 0044 hrs. - Which institution am I talking about? The United States Army. But I am going to combine that with a laundry list of other shit that I have been planning on writing about. So get ready for a wild ride of me pissing and moaning about this or that. First on the list of things that are pissing me off. Paperwork. This truly sucks. The government and its paperwork. I never knew that this entire war was going to have to be justified on a statement. Every single thing you do, if it involves enemy contact has to be written down on a statement. Why? So the Army lawyers can examine and dissect every little word you write and find a way to nail you to the wall. I thought we had a lot to fear from the media when it came to our actions in the heat of combat. As it turns out we have a whole helluva lot more to fear from our own superiors and the military legal department. (READ MORE)
Free Range International: Tactics, Techniques and Procedures - This will be a long post because the topic is important requiring that I be 100% clear concerning my observations, recommendations and opinions. In previous posts I have made my case regarding the speed and efficiency with which we are conducting stability operations in Afghanistan. I believe our reconstruction efforts are flawed; we are wasting time while spending billions of dollars (we do not have) without impacting the majority of the population. We are not conducting meaningful infrastructure projects nor establishing security to the vast majority of the Afghanistan which is reflected by the growing percentage of the country falling outside the control of the central government. In these areas the Taliban is “outgovernoring” the Karzai administration which is the worst thing that could be happening after seven years of effort by America and her ISAF allies. These are facts beyond dispute. (READ MORE)
Big Country: Meanwhile, Back Home.... - A bit of a change, as things are so insanely boring here in Baghdad. This dispatch will be about home, specifically one of the unintended consequences of the housing collapse. Specifically what I saw when I was home, and how I had to deal with it. That being said, sit back as the IR has got a couple of funny ones for you. Ok ALL of my neighbors, all the Mil folks, my marines, Air Force Para rescue kids? I’ve mentioned them previously. To whit: I had two sets of wing wipers from McDill and a Prior Service Marine Recon kid living directly across from me and around me... we had a "watch out for each other thing" going... when the housing market crashed, a lot of them moved, they either had some divorces (real “Wisteria Lane Stuff”,) or walked away like a bunch of other people. The Bank, in its infinite wisdom, then rented them to: (READ MORE)
Knottie's Niche: Ask ..Just Ask... - One of my son's former teachers dropped by today. Magazine in hand... " Have you seen this?" There it was.. my son's picture. His bright smile. He was in the lined up of Fallen. The first fallen in Oklahoma this year. Now while I am glad he and the others are being remembered and honored, imagine if I had not been in my livingroom when I saw that but at the Doctors office or the nail salon. No one asked me if they could use my son's imagine. No one warned me I may open up a magazine and see my son staring back at me. Do these people not realize how hard something like that is on the families? How it blindsides us and knocks the very strength out of us? And to top it off they are making money by adding my son's picture to their magazine. Did they offer to donate anything to a troop supportive organization in his name? I don't want the money but by God if they are going to make money off his picture the very least they can do is help his brothers and sister out. (READ MORE)
The Left Captain: Improved weather... - Woke up this morning at 0500 and saw a sky full of stars and the partial moon for the first time in almost four full days. The weather system had broken. Last night we knew things were improving because we heard a pair of Blackhawks buzzing the base, coming in for a refuel. Today the sky is clear and the mountains that enclose the valley are completely snow-covered. The air is cold and hard, and it reminds me of the dry winter mornings in Utah and Colorado. It would be a good day for skiing if I were someplace else. People are making attempts to bring holiday cheer to everyone at the FOB. There is holiday themed decor in the chowhall and a variety of inflatable cartoon characters in Santa suits here and there. (READ MORE)
Bill Roggio: US strikes in two villages in South Waziristan - US unmanned Predator strike aircraft fired missiles at Taliban safe houses in two villages in South Waziristan, according to reports from the region. At least eight people were killed in attacks on the villages of Karikot and Shin Warsak near Wana, AFP reported. "It was not immediately clear if the twin strikes, only minutes apart, targeted any senior Taliban or Al-Qaeda fugitives," a senior Pakistani security official told the news agency. The Wana region is a stronghold of Mullah Nazir, a Taliban chieftain and rival of Pakistani Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud. The US targeted Nazir and Tahir Yuldashev, the leader of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, in a strike near Wana on Nov. 7. Nazir was wounded in the attack. Yuldashev's status is still unknown. (READ MORE)
Long Warrior: Afghan fever dream - It's the middle of the afternoon and the streets are a few degrees under bustling. You know you're supposed to be looking for a red sedan, but can't remember why. The MRAP is cavernous like the inside of a submarine, and there is a disco ball hanging from the ceiling. Somehow, the gunner managed to hook up his iPOD to the intercom system. Now, as you scour the streets looking for a red VBIED, all you hear is Lesley Gore singing "Sunshine, lollipops, and rainbows." Without warning, you smoothly transitioned back in the FT Riley area outside a piece of shit bar known as "The Rockhouse" in Ogden. The other vehicles in your element are gone and it's just your MRAP and your soundtrack. Like any good dream, nothing needs to make sense, so it seems to make perfectly reasonable that you're driving around Afghanistan in Ogden, KS. You spot the red car, its right next to you. (READ MORE)
SFC Burke - From My Point of View: Reflections - I remember it distinctly.... The day I walked into the office of the newly formed 211th MPAD. I was on my way out of the Army, and it was a last-ditch effort of a certain Major that I knew to keep me in. I'd been with the 7-6 Cav for the past six years and my time was up. "Just go talk to the command and get a feel for the MOS choices there," he said. I'd driven the 120 miles from Houston thinking, "I'm done, why is he sending me here?" As I said, I walked in early that morning and introduced myself to a 1st Lt. Tony Lopez who asked a lot of questions and joked around quite a bit. I also ran into Staff Sgt. Tim Williams, Staff Sgt. Robert Ramon, and Spc. Alex Delgado. Williams and Ramon introduced me to the 46-series specialties (print and broadcast journalism) and I fell hard. I realized that I can stay in the Army and do what I enjoy (photojournalism, which I taught at school) and 'retire' from aviation (the Cav). (READ MORE)
SFC Quebec - My Point of View: Winning & Losing vs Victory & Defeat - I'm finally contributing something of some relative value to the blog. As with many of us we have lives (of sorts) outside of the military. SFC Burke is a high school English teacher, SGT Risner is a musician, etc. While I was still a TPU (Weekend Warrior), and in college I coached youth soccer for the American Youth Soccer Organization. My miltary training and civilian experience meshed well together for that activity. I also got a Volunteer Service Medal for it. During this time, I also studied coaching and other sports in college as well as continuing practice in Martial Arts that began in 3rd grade. All of this has contributed to my views on the concepts of winning & losing as opposed to victory & defeat. Many people put winning ahead of everything, even their ethics. Winning becomes an all-consuming goal without regard to others (or even self). Some view not winning as a complete and utter failure, not only of the task, but a personal, internal failure of the self. (READ MORE)
Pink's War: Home Sweet Home - Since I've been here at the new FOB I've slept in my own room about 4 times. For the first week and a half I was sleeping in my Sergeant's room. He had his own room, quiet and peaceful, lots of privacy. I enjoyed his company and the sex almost every night was a nice bonus. After he left I tried sleeping in my own room for a few nights. My roommate is okay, but she keeps the room at about 90 degrees and turns the light off whenever I turn it on. I have horrible allergy and sinus problems and I can't breathe when its too hot and I like to have the light on to see what I'm doing. Needless to say, that living arrangement wasn't working out for me. So instead of fighting with my roommate, I carried my ass over to J and W's room. They're good kids, from the old unit with me, and a lot of fun to be around. (READ MORE)
Rocinante's Burdens: Day 183. NSTR - Again. Nothing is happening. I have been here 183 days now. If I were USMC, my tour would be over and I would be on my way back home. If I were Air Force, I would be half way through my second tour. As Army, I am only half way. As a recalled reservist, I only have 90 days left, if that. I am mired in the quagmire of mindless staff work. There is no end to that. No honorable retreat, only the small victory of another briefing ended, and the slides safely shredded. When did my life get so pointless? My life used to have a meaning and a purpose. I don't remember where I put it. Maybe it is in storage back in the USA. (READ MORE)
Sorority Soldier: A PA disappointment - A few days ago, I was kinda looking forward to our public affairs training and the chance to actually practice my craft. Now that the little exercise is over, I’m thrilled. It was more a test of patience and how much we could actually handle being jerked around by the PA office on Fort Dix. We weren’t allowed to follow any of our own leads and story ideas, but rather had to cover the missions they wanted (they actually tried to get us to cover a food drive and ribbon cutting ceremony - things they should be doing, but figured they’d use us for). They also tried to force us to work out of their office for “accountability”, but I think it was a way to have us around for those “hey you” missions. I ended up working there for a couple of hours, but SSG Pat got us out of it after that and we moved back into our warehouse/storage building. The PA office has a furry office pet and I’m allergic to cats, so forcing me to work in that building was absurd. (READ MORE)
S45at War: Mitigating Withdrawal: The more we partner with the Iraqis the more involved we become with their economy. I spend large sums of money each month with Iraqi contractors, on individual purchases and on re-occurring service contracts. Its similar to a tourist economy where there is essentially two separate pricing schemes, the one for locals and the one for tourists (or, in this case,military). For example, I recently bought two digital senders which sell for $2,900 each on Amazon, I paid $4,000. The problem is that when the tourist industry dips for whatever reason those economies reliant on that over-inflated pricing scheme are hit hard. Fortunately, most tourist destinations don’t unexpectedly cease to be tourist destinations. Coalition forces, however , will be leaving here and we’re taking our tourist economy with us. The U.S. contractors making a fortune off of the war will survive, local Iraqi contractors are going to take a major hit. (READ MORE)
Tragically Famous: 82 reasons to stay in Baghdad - I have just downloaded a new gadget for my Windows Vista side bar. The magic eight ball continues to tell me to ‘ask again later.’ Damn. My future is uncertain. I came down on recruiting orders from the Department of the Army. This means that I have been picked by the 'Big Army' to personally select recruits joining the force. However, I still can’t foresee myself being a salesman for the Army. What if the Army made a mistake? What if my purpose is to lead soldiers in combat? What if... Every moment in my life up to this point has been a preparation for this. On R & R leave, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I needed to be doing something. I felt the need to continuously be on the road. I drove my car around several hours a day with no purpose, aimlessly. I’d get to one place, and decide to go to another. I was still patrolling in my mind. (READ MORE)
Big Tobacco: Milking Hanukkah - I wrote this while smoking a La Gloria Cubana. She is on me as soon as I open the door. She envelops me with a kiss, forcing me to search with one hand for the door while blindly exploring with the other for her belt buckle. I slam the door. She is older than me at twenty-seven and a first lieutenant. I am a nineteen year old private. It’s a million years ago and the two of us assault each other in a tiny room, jockeying for position, trying to establish dominance. We are torn between backing away to let a piece of clothing fall and allowing our lips to remain together in passion. We can’t have both but we try really hard, our lust building between frustrating rubbing, grunts and moans. Her name is Karen. I pull her underwear off. Her pubic hair is very long, blonde and wispy as opposed to the tight curls of previous girlfriends. I dive in, my mouth seeking her out. Dank. Musty. Overflowing with excitement. My hands work their way up the sides of her body. (READ MORE)
News from the Front:
Afghanistan:
ANSF, Coalition forces attack an IED cell in Helmand - KABUL, Afghanistan – Afghan National Security Forces and Coalition forces, responding to an IED explosion, were engaged by and killed one insurgent in Nahr Surkh district, Helmand province, Dec. 21. An Afghan man driving a tractor was seriously wounded when the tractor struck an IED. Upon arriving at the scene insurgents attacked the combined forces with small-arms fire. (READ MORE)
Coalition forces disrupt roadside bomb network in Zabul - KABUL, Afghanistan – Coalition forces killed four armed militants and detained five suspected militants during an operation targeting the Taliban’s roadside bomb network in Zabul province, Saturday. In Qalat District, approximately 120 km northeast of Kandahar, Coalition forces targeted a Taliban militant known to traffic weapons and coordinate roadside bomb attacks along Highway One. (READ MORE)
ANP and Coalition forces disrupt al-Qaeda cell in Khost - KABUL, Afghanistan – Afghan National Police and Coalition forces killed three armed militants and detained five suspected militants, including the targeted individual during an operation to disrupt the al-Qaeda terrorist network in Khost province, Tuesday. The combined operation in Khost District, located approximately 150 km southeast of Kabul, netted an al-Qaeda liaison believed to facilitate the movement of foreign fighters into Afghanistan to conduct terrorist activities. (READ MORE)
Afghan National Commandos, Coalition forces capture two Taliban Commanders and one militant - KABUL, Afghanistan – Afghan National Commandos, assisted by Coalition forces, detained Taliban commanders Abdul Aziz and Abdul Rahman as well as one militant, Ishmail, during a security patrol in Jalalabad City, Nangahar (Nangarhar) province, Dec. 15. Abdul Rahman is a Taliban commander associated with facilitating IED activity in the Korengal Valley, Konar province and is also directly linked to more than 50 attacks against Afghan National Security Forces and Coalition forces. (READ MORE)
IED kills three insurgents in Oruzgan - KABUL, Afghanistan – Three insurgents attempted to plant an IED in Deh Rawod district, Oruzgan province, approximately 200 km southwest of Kabul, along a well traveled road when it detonated, killing two of the insurgents. Local villagers reported an explosion to the ANSF, who discovered the dead and wounded. Afghan National Security Forces and Coalition forces provided medical attention and transported the wounded insurgent to a nearby Coalition forces medical facility for treatment, but he subsequently died of his injuries. (READ MORE)
PRT well project brings water to Afghan villages - BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan – The Nangarhar Provincial Reconstruction Team recently completed an eight-well project that will provide much-needed water sources to six districts throughout Nangarhar province in eastern Afghanistan. The PRT-funded project, which combined several individual well projects into one, cost $30,000 and was completed by a local Afghan construction company. “As we travel throughout the province, the Afghans tell us water availability is one of their biggest concerns,” said Air Force Lt. Col. Steve Cabosky, Nangarhar PRT commander. (READ MORE)
Nangarhar Agri-business Development Team changes command - BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan – The first Agri-business Development Team in Nangarhar province changed command in northeast Afghanistan, Dec. 15. Outgoing ADT commander Lt. Col. Greg Allison relinquished command to Lt. Col. David Boyle, of the Missouri National Guard. “The ADT is a unique complement to direct action combat operations in the global war on terrorism,” said Boyle. Transfer of authority from one command to another is a traditional event, rich with symbolism and heritage. (READ MORE)
December 22, 2008
Web Reconnaissance for 12/22/2008
A short recon of what’s out there that might draw your attention, updated throughout the day...so check back often.
In the News: (Registration may be required to read some stories)
Trade Barriers Toughen With Global Slump - Only a few weeks after world leaders vowed at a Washington summit to reject trade protectionism and adhere to free-market principles as they combat the global financial crisis, a host of nations are already breaking that promise. (READ MORE)
Secret Tapes Helped Build Graft Cases In Illinois - CHICAGO -- The wide-ranging public corruption probe that led to the arrest of Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich got its first big break when a grandmother of six walked into a breakfast meeting with shakedown artists wearing an FBI wire. (READ MORE)
U.S. Won't Support Zimbabwe if Mugabe Stays On, Envoy Says - JOHANNESBURG, Dec. 21 -- The United States will not support a unity government in Zimbabwe that includes President Robert Mugabe, a top American envoy told reporters in South Africa on Sunday. (READ MORE)
Quantum of Solis - There is joy in Unionville this Christmas. Barack Obama's pick for Secretary of Labor -- Hilda Solis -- brings impeccable big labor credentials. The California Congresswoman first rode to power with labor backing against a fellow Democrat, has voted with the AFL-CIO 97% of the time, and got three-quarters of her campaign contributions from unions. (READ MORE)
Striking Against Students - Teachers unions routinely claim that the interests of students are their top priority. So we would be interested to hear how the Pennsylvania affiliate of the National Education Association explains the proliferation of teacher walkouts in the middle of the school year. (READ MORE)
Proliferators on Fifth Avenue - There's no place like New York for the holidays -- the tree at Rockefeller Center, the decorated store windows, the Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall. Now there's something else for shoppers to think about as they stroll along Fifth Avenue: nuclear proliferators. (READ MORE)
On the Web:
CJ: “Fort Dix Five” Trial Still Deliberating - In May of last year, five men were charged with plotting to kill Soldiers and Civilians based at Fort Dix Army base in New Jersey. They are charged with conspiracy to murder military personnel and attempted murder. The trial ended five days ago and would you believe that jurors are still deliberating the case? I think I know why. See, these guys are extremist Muslims and our court system and media want to protect them. Screw the Soldiers who were targeted. After all, they have probably killed Muslims themselves and deserve to die. But, underneath it all, the reality is that the media seems to think that the Fort Dix Five have it easy. They’re being given access to our courts while those poor, lost souls in Guantanamo are forced to rot in that 5-star hotel detention facility in Cuba. Elmer Smith, of the Philadelphia Daily News, thinks the Albanian born accused terrorists deserve our rights just as those in Gitmo do. (READ MORE)
Donald Douglas: Forget Marriage, Gay or Not ... Kill Tradition Altogether - Bob Ostertag, in "Why Gay Marriage is the Wrong Issue," is brutally honest in revealing the subterranean agenda that girds the left's blitzkreig assault on tradition - from marriage itself (which will no longer have original meaning once homosexuals enjoy the same right of union that's by both nature and tradition only available to one man and one woman) to the entire Western ethical system based in Judeo-Christian morality: “Through years of queer demonstrations, meetings, readings and dinner table conversations, about gay bashing, police violence, job discrimination, housing discrimination, health care discrimination, immigration discrimination, family ostracism, teen suicide, AIDS profiteering, sodomy laws, and much more, I never once heard anyone identify the fact that they couldn't get married as being a major concern. And then, out of the blue, gay marriage suddenly became the litmus test by which we measure our allies. We have now come to the point that many unthinkingly equate opposition to gay marriage with homophobia.” (READ MORE)
Lawhawk: The Palestinian War Against Israel Never Ended - The Palestinian war against Israel never ended, it just took a deep breath. Hamas and the other terrorist groups operating in Gaza never stopped attacking Israel or plotting attacks or stockpiling weapons during the past six months. The media and the diplomats simply ignored the kassam attacks, the mortars, the infiltration attempts, and terror attacks that occurred by Palestinians stealing construction equipment to rampage through the streets of Jerusalem. By ignoring those events, the terrorists in Gaza knew that they could continue low level attacks even while demanding that Israel maintain the Palestinian hudna since it enabled Hamas to simultaneously attack Israel and largely insulate itself from reprisal attacks. Hamas must have stockpiled sufficient weapons, because they feel confident enough to say that the hudna is over. (READ MORE)
The Barnyard: A Democrat Special Interest Group, Big Labor - Barack Obama ran on the promise of ending special interest groups influence in DC so will he push for the passage of the Orwellian named Employee Free Choice Act as a favor to the big Unions? It is hard to say because like everything else that is controversial he has been very intentionally vague. Jennifer Rubin at Contentions points to this WSJ article that says the Blagojevich scandal and his negotiations with the SEIU for a cushy job in return for a pro-labor Senate appointment may just throw a monkey wrench in the works. The SEIU has donated many millions of dollars over the years to politicians with the vast majority of those funds going to the Democrats. The SEIU is also under investigation in California for running a phony charity among other scandals. They have donated 1.8 million to Blago over his political career and gotten several favors for it in return so I am sure they were playing on the same court, a pay to play court. (READ MORE)
The Belmont Club: Pumping money - The President Elect has “expanded his goals for a massive federal stimulus package”, according to the Washington Post. The incoming administration is not only seeking ways to increase spending, but to focus it on certain types of controlled spending. The WaPo says, “Democratic lawmakers have also agreed to ban earmarks, which direct funds to individual lawmakers’ favored projects. ” “Because they are intended to pump cash quickly into the economy, stimulus measures are released from the usual budgetary constraints that require the cost of new programs and tax cuts to be covered by cutting spending or raising taxes elsewhere. Given a free pass to spend more than the nation spends on the Pentagon each year, the temptation to tack on favorite projects could be high. Summers and other Obama advisers said they are keenly aware of the problem, and are already working to persuade lawmakers of the wisdom of limiting the package only to projects likely to create a large number of jobs quickly for as little money as possible.” (READ MORE)
Confederate Yankee: Good News: BB Guns Now Classified By Journalist as Assault Rifles - I sincerely hope than any journalist ignorant enough to write "BB-gun" and "snipers" in the same sentence doesn't have firearms of his own, or else he'll likely end up as another subject of my research at the Media Violence Project (or a Darwin Awards candidate). Savor the idiocy: “Two alleged BB-gun snipers facing felony charges, including assault with a deadly weapon, used a laser scope and a BB gun that looks like a fully automatic AR-15 assault rifle, according to deputies with the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station. The arrests Tuesday night capped a two-month shooting spree with more than two-dozen shootings investigated since Nov. 1. Victims include a 53-year-old man shot in the head and a 13-year-old girl waiting for a bus, both shot with a BB. Christian Morfin, 18, of Saugus, and a 17-year-old Canyon Country male were booked at the Sheriff's Station on felony charges of vandalism and assault with a deadly weapon in connection with several shootings.” (READ MORE)
Don Surber: Dick Cheney unleashed - Cheney: “Is 29 percent good enough for me? Well, we fought a tough reelection battle. We won by an adequate margin in 2004. We’ve been here for eight years now. Eventually, you wear out your welcome in this business.” He is the antithesis of cool, which makes him cool. Cheney has a job to do and he gets it done. His job is riding shotgun in the Bush administration. He has the president’s back. So they call him Darth Cheney and he doesn’t care because that’s his job. In an interview by Chris Wallace, Cheney remained unapologetic. Poll numbers? CHENEY: We didn’t — if — we didn’t set out to achieve the highest level of polls that we could during the course of this administration. We set out to do what we thought was necessary and essential for the country. That clearly was the guiding principle with respect to the aftermath of 9/11. I feel very good about a lot of the things we’ve done in this administration. I think that they will be viewed in a favorable light when it’s time to write the history of this era. (READ MORE)
Jenn Sierra: Chertoff worried about Lonewolf ‘Right Wing Crazy Nut’ - In an incredible “did he really say that?!” moment, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff explained in an interview broadcast by FoxNews that the number of threats to Obama’s life is already higher than any other President prior to the inauguration, and expressed concern about not only jihadis, but also a lonewolf, right-wing-crazy-nut, racist. There was no mention in this segment of any concern about left-wing-crazy-nuts. Obviously, it is important to protect the President of the United States, and politics aside, any threat upon his life from anyone, especially a citizen of the United States, is completely unacceptable. With all due respect Mr. Chertoff, this comment was an incredible slap in the face to American conservatives, and doesn’t make any sense. There’s been a lot of rioting in the streets since the last election, and the rioters haven’t been “right wing.” (READ MORE)
David Zublick: Auto Bailout Was A CYA Move - The bailout of Chrysler and General Motors was a simple case of CYA for the Bush Administration. Bush did not want to go out with the collapse of the auto industry happening on his watch. The $17.4 billion lifeline extended by Bush will not do much in the way of preventing the total collapse of these companies. The viability of the industry is in question and the reckless decisions by management over the course of many years cannot be turned around within a three month period. By March, these guys will have their hands out again, with no significant restructuring plan for retooling themselves. What will the incoming Obama regime do? Obama has pressed the industry for major changes, including increasing fuel efficiency and reducing carbon emissions. He also wants the maximum number of jobs saved. But at what expense? The problems G.M., Chrysler and Ford face now have been building for decades. (READ MORE)
Jules Crittenden: War Is Heck - Exhibit A, Andrew Sullivan re Dick Cheney on presidential war powers: “One thing you have to concede to Dick Cheney. He says what he thinks. How can the suspension of all laws into the power of the executive branch in wartime be seen as a defense or protection of the Constitution? Perhaps for a brief amount of time in a dire emergency, after which there would be a thorough accounting to the Congress and the Courts. But indefinitely? As inherent in the office? And with jurisdiction over the entire United States as well as the world? With ‘enemy combatants’ defined as anyone the president calls an ‘enemy combatant’ and no distinction between citizen and non-citizen? Including the right to torture? Indefinitely?” Breathless histrionics his. Whatever alternative United States Sullivan has dwelt in for the last seven years, sounds like it’s been a living heck. All laws suspended indefinitely. Enemy combatant labels slapped on everyone, everyone tortured … indefinitely. (READ MORE)
Michelle Malkin: Document drop: The story behind Change.gov - I’ve obtained documents sent to a reader in response to his FOIA request regarding the creation of Barack Obama’s Change.gov website. It gives you the rest of the story. You’ll recall last month that I blogged several questions about the propriety of allowing the perpetual Obama campaign to use a .gov domain name for what appeared to be a fund-raising front. Readers and industry observers noted that the decision appeared to violate General Services Administration rules governing government domains. Guess what? They were right. The FOIA documents sent to Lance O., which he forwarded to me, reveal that the GSA initially rejected Obama’s application for “Change.gov.” On Oct. 21, Peter Alterman, Deputy Associate Administrator of Technology Strategy at the GSA, denied the Obama campaign’s request for a government domain because: (READ MORE)
Dan Riehl: The Incredible Lightness Of Being Andrew - It seems someone has stumbled upon recent proof of Andrew Sullivan's conservative bona fides, though some might just call it being cheap in this case. If you search Andrew Sullivan's URL, there appear to be about 27 posts in which Andrew Sullivan implored his readers to donate to the Proposition 8 initiative in California. Here's one example from October 23. Perhaps Andy has a different definition for the word "us?" “Pretty much unchanged since the last poll but with a small uptick in the numbers against marriage equality. We have our work cut out for us. You can donate here.” A link as far back as September "renders" this: “You can donate to the effort to prevent countless married gay couples in California from having their marriages rendered void here.” Such passion. Such compassion. Such a voice. But is that all there is? (READ MORE)
Melanie Phillips Blog: Prosecute him - The Centre for Social Cohesion has noticed that Ashok Bukhari, the extremist who runs the Islamist Muslim Public Affairs Committee website, has now been openly glorifying terrorism. On a public facebook discussion forum, he said: “Muslims who fight against the occupation of their lands are ‘Mujahadeen’ and are blessed by Allah. And any Muslim who fights against Israel and dies is a martyr and will be granted paradise. The concept of Jihad is a beautiful thing, and logical to those with a sincere heart. It tells the human being to stand up and fight against those who bring evil and oppression on this earth, and by standing up - roll back that oppression until the people are free from it. There is no greater oppressor on this earth then [sic] the Zionists, who murder little children for sport...Any public attack on Islam and the Ummah is not going to be tolerated by men like me. I have dealt with these Zionists before, a veneer of reason, below which lies a crooked mind plotting and planning to extend their hatred against us.” (READ MORE)
ROFASix: Bubba! Did DoD take over the USA? - I have always accepted without question the reason the military moved into State and other federal agency areas of responsibility was because those agencies refused to step up to the plate in Iraq and Afghanistan. In State's case, I had no reason to doubt that Foggy Bottom was so opposed to the Iraq war that they refused to participate in Iraq. Members of State would only accept a posting to Iraq when given the choice of "do it or be fired," I was told more than once. That was pretty much confirmed a couple of years ago when news stories to that effect surfaced a couple of years ago, when the guys and gals in pin-striped suits essentially mutinied against Secretary Rice over Iraq. That was also about the time the silly talk about her replacing Cheney on the ticket ended. All that is why I found, The Pentagon is muscling in everywhere. It's time to stop the mission creep," in Sunday's Washington Post, so interesting. (READ MORE)
William Teach: Global Warming Could End White Christmas’ - Um, OK, sure, whatever you say. “The odds of a “white Christmas” in temperate parts of the northern hemisphere have diminished in the last century due to climate change and will likely decline further by 2100, climate and meteorology experts said.” Did you ever notice (I’m typing in Jerry Seinfeld) that Climahysterics love to throw out “2100?” Why is that? Could it be because most people reading it will not be around in 2100, so there is no way for anyone to disprove it at this time? And by Climate Change, they mean Man made, not natural, which is primarily what has occured since around 1850, when the Little Ice Age ended. They want us to believe this tripe, yet, they can’t even get a 7 day forecast correct. Now I am waiting for the “but, that’s weather. Climate is totally different!” Suckers. “Even though heavy snow this year will guarantee a white Christmas in many parts of Asia, Europe and North America, an 0.7-degree Celsius (1.3 Fahrenheit) rise in world temperatures since 1900 and projected bigger rises by 2100 suggest an inexorable trend.” In other words, don’t pay attention to the man behind the screen, means nada. But, 1.3 F in almost 110 years? (READ MORE)
The Sundries Shack: You Don’t Know Mike Duncan, But He Should Be Fired - I bet that none of you right now can tell me who Mike Duncan is. That’s a problem, if you’re a Republican. On the other hand, I bet that most of you can tell me who Howard Dean is. If you can’t, I’ll help you out. Howard Dean is the guy who led Democrats to a series of solid victories this past election over a slate of generally pathetic Republicans led by Mike Duncan, the chair of the RNC. Duncan was Elmer Fudd to Dean’s Bugs Bunny, the Margaret Dumont (without even the stately dignity) to Dean’s Groucho Marx, the Hamilton Burger to his Perry Mason, the…well, you get the idea here. Normally, someone so disgraced would slink off into a cushy job at a think tank, or would write a middling book or something like that. Not Duncan. He’s decided to run for RNC chair again. (READ MORE)
Cassandra: Wrong Question - Leonard Downie, former executive editor of the WaPo, asks a question: “The death last week of W. Mark Felt -- Bob Woodward's secret source, indelibly dubbed ‘Deep Throat,’ who played such a crucial role in this newspaper's Watergate reporting -- coincided with the appearance of Richard M. Nixon, as played by Frank Langella, on local movie screens. As I watched Langella's Nixon being interrogated about the conspiracy and coverup by Michael Sheen's David Frost in ‘Frost/Nixon,’ I relived strong memories. And Felt's death raised the inevitable question: Could the kind of reporting that Woodward and Carl Bernstein pulled off be done today, more than three decades later, in the age of the Internet?” But that's the wrong question, isn't it? With a Democrat in the Oval Office - a candidate the media singularly failed to even make a pretense of vetting, the question isn't "could" the kind of investigative reporting that uncovered Watergate be pulled off today? It's would it even be attempted? Let's face a few inconvenient truths. (READ MORE)
Mark Steyn: Can You Still See the USA in Your Chevrolet? - ‘See the USA in your Chevrolet!” trilled Dinah Shore week after week on TV. Can you still see the USA in your Chevrolet? Through a windscreen darkly. General Motors now has a market valuation about a third of Bed, Bath And Beyond, and no one says your Swash 700 Elongated Biscuit Toilet Seat Bidet is too big to fail. GM has a market capitalization of just over two billion dollars. For purposes of comparison, Toyota’s market cap is one hundred billion and change (the change being bigger than the whole of GM). General Motors, like the other two geezers of the Old Three, is a vast retirement home with a small loss-making auto subsidiary. The UAW is the AARP in an Edsel: It has three times as many retirees and widows as “workers” (I use the term loosely). GM has 96,000 employees but provides health benefits to a million people. How do you make that math add up? Not by selling cars: (READ MORE)
Information Dissemination: The Grey Lady Weighs In - The New York Times has published an editorial on funding the Pentagon in the coming years, along with specific recommendations on various big-name Pentagon procurement programs. I won't repeat their recommendations here, since you can easily read them at the link above, but wanted to touch on a few of them. They recommend canceling the Virginia-class submarine (SSN-774) program, and instead spending money to 'extend the operating lives of the existing fleet of Los Angeles class fast-attack nuclear submarines, which can capably perform all needed post-cold-war missions — from launching cruise missiles to countering China’s expanding but technologically inferior submarine fleet.' They further claim that this decision would produce net savings of $2.5 billion. Given that they describe the Virginias as costing $2 billion each, recommending that the U.S. put off the replacement of a submarine force which is already aging and which was acquired initially at a high rate, meaning that it will leave service at the same high rate, for savings amounting to little more than the cost of one of the current boats seems foolish to me. (READ MORE)
Chicago Boyz: The Selfish Left - In the NYTimes, Nicholas Kristof ask why Leftist give less to charity [h/t Instapundit] than do those on the Right. Why do the people who collectively advocate redistributing wealth from producers to the poor donate so little as individuals to the same cause? I think the reason simple: Leftism isn’t about compassion. Leftism is about control. Leftism is about freeing the individual from personal responsibility for anything, including charity. Redistribution via government coercion enhances the power of Leftist in two ways: First, it takes from the productive segments of society reducing their freedom of action and forcing them them to kowtow to Leftist in order to try to avoid even harsher confiscation. Second, it creates a large population of individuals who depend on Leftist for the necessities of life. A poor person in America today relies on government for food, shelter, jobs, medical car, transportation, etc. They can’t be defined as “free” in any meaningful sense. (READ MORE)
Victor Davis Hanson: Desperately Seeking Caroline - The probable appointment of Caroline Kennedy, the 51-year-old daughter of former President John Kennedy, to fill Secretary-of-State nominee Hillary Clinton’s New York Senate seat is both laughable and yet a parable for our bankrupt times. Consider aristocratic entitlement. Ms. Kennedy apparently spends a great deal of her time divided between her Park Avenue Upper-East-Side Manhattan townhouse and her hereditary estate on Martha’s Vineyard. She has had no real experience with the ordinary lives of New Yorkers, either a few dozen blocks away in Harlem (despite a sudden ad hoc lunch last week with the Rev. Sharpton at a soul food diner) or the state’s rural towns to the north. Ms. Kennedy is about as undiverse as one could imagine. She was educated at exclusively private schools among those of her like race and class. Her financial security is due to either inheritance or marriage; there is no evidence of a self-employed stellar legal or business career. But there is plenty of evidence that Ms. Kennedy reflects the current Democratic Party’s obsession with celebrity and Hollywood-like imagery: (READ MORE)
Ed Morrissey: Blago-Rahma: Immunity grant sought by Jackson fundraiser - The Chicago Tribune gives both Rod Blagojevich and Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr some bad news. “Individual D”, the person pressured by the Illinois governor to cough up some cash for Jackson’s appointment to the Senate, has requested immunity from Patrick Fitzgerald in return for cooperation: When a witness wants immunity, it’s usually because they’ve committed some crimes. They get immunity by providing information that convicts others of bigger crimes. Nayak must know that Fitzgerald has enough on him to make life very uncomfortable over the next several years, and his request signals that he’s willing to cut deals to minimize that as much as possible. Jackson has been named by sources as Candidate #5, the one Blagojevich considered most willing to play ball but unsure of whether he could provide the cash Blagojevich sought. (READ MORE)
TigerHawk: Christmas in Iraq - What person of good will -- regardless of religion -- cannot take pleasure in the first ever public Christmas celebration in Iraq? It is a measure of Iraq's commitment to stay together as a country that its government, which will soon enough face the voters again, has sponsored such an unlikely event. The picture of Santa Claus in the Iraqi flag is remarkable, to say the least. Naturally, I cannot resist a few observations that will annoy everybody. First, this is another nail in the coffin of the profoundly misguided proposal that Iraq ought to break into three or more pieces. Some reporter somewhere needs to extract a confession of error from Joe Biden, among others. Since he will probably be on television this morning, why not start with this story? Second, "multiculturalism," or at least the institutional respect and acceptance of religious minorities, has its virtues. (READ MORE)
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In the News: (Registration may be required to read some stories)
Trade Barriers Toughen With Global Slump - Only a few weeks after world leaders vowed at a Washington summit to reject trade protectionism and adhere to free-market principles as they combat the global financial crisis, a host of nations are already breaking that promise. (READ MORE)
Secret Tapes Helped Build Graft Cases In Illinois - CHICAGO -- The wide-ranging public corruption probe that led to the arrest of Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich got its first big break when a grandmother of six walked into a breakfast meeting with shakedown artists wearing an FBI wire. (READ MORE)
U.S. Won't Support Zimbabwe if Mugabe Stays On, Envoy Says - JOHANNESBURG, Dec. 21 -- The United States will not support a unity government in Zimbabwe that includes President Robert Mugabe, a top American envoy told reporters in South Africa on Sunday. (READ MORE)
Quantum of Solis - There is joy in Unionville this Christmas. Barack Obama's pick for Secretary of Labor -- Hilda Solis -- brings impeccable big labor credentials. The California Congresswoman first rode to power with labor backing against a fellow Democrat, has voted with the AFL-CIO 97% of the time, and got three-quarters of her campaign contributions from unions. (READ MORE)
Striking Against Students - Teachers unions routinely claim that the interests of students are their top priority. So we would be interested to hear how the Pennsylvania affiliate of the National Education Association explains the proliferation of teacher walkouts in the middle of the school year. (READ MORE)
Proliferators on Fifth Avenue - There's no place like New York for the holidays -- the tree at Rockefeller Center, the decorated store windows, the Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall. Now there's something else for shoppers to think about as they stroll along Fifth Avenue: nuclear proliferators. (READ MORE)
On the Web:
CJ: “Fort Dix Five” Trial Still Deliberating - In May of last year, five men were charged with plotting to kill Soldiers and Civilians based at Fort Dix Army base in New Jersey. They are charged with conspiracy to murder military personnel and attempted murder. The trial ended five days ago and would you believe that jurors are still deliberating the case? I think I know why. See, these guys are extremist Muslims and our court system and media want to protect them. Screw the Soldiers who were targeted. After all, they have probably killed Muslims themselves and deserve to die. But, underneath it all, the reality is that the media seems to think that the Fort Dix Five have it easy. They’re being given access to our courts while those poor, lost souls in Guantanamo are forced to rot in that 5-star hotel detention facility in Cuba. Elmer Smith, of the Philadelphia Daily News, thinks the Albanian born accused terrorists deserve our rights just as those in Gitmo do. (READ MORE)
Donald Douglas: Forget Marriage, Gay or Not ... Kill Tradition Altogether - Bob Ostertag, in "Why Gay Marriage is the Wrong Issue," is brutally honest in revealing the subterranean agenda that girds the left's blitzkreig assault on tradition - from marriage itself (which will no longer have original meaning once homosexuals enjoy the same right of union that's by both nature and tradition only available to one man and one woman) to the entire Western ethical system based in Judeo-Christian morality: “Through years of queer demonstrations, meetings, readings and dinner table conversations, about gay bashing, police violence, job discrimination, housing discrimination, health care discrimination, immigration discrimination, family ostracism, teen suicide, AIDS profiteering, sodomy laws, and much more, I never once heard anyone identify the fact that they couldn't get married as being a major concern. And then, out of the blue, gay marriage suddenly became the litmus test by which we measure our allies. We have now come to the point that many unthinkingly equate opposition to gay marriage with homophobia.” (READ MORE)
Lawhawk: The Palestinian War Against Israel Never Ended - The Palestinian war against Israel never ended, it just took a deep breath. Hamas and the other terrorist groups operating in Gaza never stopped attacking Israel or plotting attacks or stockpiling weapons during the past six months. The media and the diplomats simply ignored the kassam attacks, the mortars, the infiltration attempts, and terror attacks that occurred by Palestinians stealing construction equipment to rampage through the streets of Jerusalem. By ignoring those events, the terrorists in Gaza knew that they could continue low level attacks even while demanding that Israel maintain the Palestinian hudna since it enabled Hamas to simultaneously attack Israel and largely insulate itself from reprisal attacks. Hamas must have stockpiled sufficient weapons, because they feel confident enough to say that the hudna is over. (READ MORE)
The Barnyard: A Democrat Special Interest Group, Big Labor - Barack Obama ran on the promise of ending special interest groups influence in DC so will he push for the passage of the Orwellian named Employee Free Choice Act as a favor to the big Unions? It is hard to say because like everything else that is controversial he has been very intentionally vague. Jennifer Rubin at Contentions points to this WSJ article that says the Blagojevich scandal and his negotiations with the SEIU for a cushy job in return for a pro-labor Senate appointment may just throw a monkey wrench in the works. The SEIU has donated many millions of dollars over the years to politicians with the vast majority of those funds going to the Democrats. The SEIU is also under investigation in California for running a phony charity among other scandals. They have donated 1.8 million to Blago over his political career and gotten several favors for it in return so I am sure they were playing on the same court, a pay to play court. (READ MORE)
The Belmont Club: Pumping money - The President Elect has “expanded his goals for a massive federal stimulus package”, according to the Washington Post. The incoming administration is not only seeking ways to increase spending, but to focus it on certain types of controlled spending. The WaPo says, “Democratic lawmakers have also agreed to ban earmarks, which direct funds to individual lawmakers’ favored projects. ” “Because they are intended to pump cash quickly into the economy, stimulus measures are released from the usual budgetary constraints that require the cost of new programs and tax cuts to be covered by cutting spending or raising taxes elsewhere. Given a free pass to spend more than the nation spends on the Pentagon each year, the temptation to tack on favorite projects could be high. Summers and other Obama advisers said they are keenly aware of the problem, and are already working to persuade lawmakers of the wisdom of limiting the package only to projects likely to create a large number of jobs quickly for as little money as possible.” (READ MORE)
Confederate Yankee: Good News: BB Guns Now Classified By Journalist as Assault Rifles - I sincerely hope than any journalist ignorant enough to write "BB-gun" and "snipers" in the same sentence doesn't have firearms of his own, or else he'll likely end up as another subject of my research at the Media Violence Project (or a Darwin Awards candidate). Savor the idiocy: “Two alleged BB-gun snipers facing felony charges, including assault with a deadly weapon, used a laser scope and a BB gun that looks like a fully automatic AR-15 assault rifle, according to deputies with the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station. The arrests Tuesday night capped a two-month shooting spree with more than two-dozen shootings investigated since Nov. 1. Victims include a 53-year-old man shot in the head and a 13-year-old girl waiting for a bus, both shot with a BB. Christian Morfin, 18, of Saugus, and a 17-year-old Canyon Country male were booked at the Sheriff's Station on felony charges of vandalism and assault with a deadly weapon in connection with several shootings.” (READ MORE)
Don Surber: Dick Cheney unleashed - Cheney: “Is 29 percent good enough for me? Well, we fought a tough reelection battle. We won by an adequate margin in 2004. We’ve been here for eight years now. Eventually, you wear out your welcome in this business.” He is the antithesis of cool, which makes him cool. Cheney has a job to do and he gets it done. His job is riding shotgun in the Bush administration. He has the president’s back. So they call him Darth Cheney and he doesn’t care because that’s his job. In an interview by Chris Wallace, Cheney remained unapologetic. Poll numbers? CHENEY: We didn’t — if — we didn’t set out to achieve the highest level of polls that we could during the course of this administration. We set out to do what we thought was necessary and essential for the country. That clearly was the guiding principle with respect to the aftermath of 9/11. I feel very good about a lot of the things we’ve done in this administration. I think that they will be viewed in a favorable light when it’s time to write the history of this era. (READ MORE)
Jenn Sierra: Chertoff worried about Lonewolf ‘Right Wing Crazy Nut’ - In an incredible “did he really say that?!” moment, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff explained in an interview broadcast by FoxNews that the number of threats to Obama’s life is already higher than any other President prior to the inauguration, and expressed concern about not only jihadis, but also a lonewolf, right-wing-crazy-nut, racist. There was no mention in this segment of any concern about left-wing-crazy-nuts. Obviously, it is important to protect the President of the United States, and politics aside, any threat upon his life from anyone, especially a citizen of the United States, is completely unacceptable. With all due respect Mr. Chertoff, this comment was an incredible slap in the face to American conservatives, and doesn’t make any sense. There’s been a lot of rioting in the streets since the last election, and the rioters haven’t been “right wing.” (READ MORE)
David Zublick: Auto Bailout Was A CYA Move - The bailout of Chrysler and General Motors was a simple case of CYA for the Bush Administration. Bush did not want to go out with the collapse of the auto industry happening on his watch. The $17.4 billion lifeline extended by Bush will not do much in the way of preventing the total collapse of these companies. The viability of the industry is in question and the reckless decisions by management over the course of many years cannot be turned around within a three month period. By March, these guys will have their hands out again, with no significant restructuring plan for retooling themselves. What will the incoming Obama regime do? Obama has pressed the industry for major changes, including increasing fuel efficiency and reducing carbon emissions. He also wants the maximum number of jobs saved. But at what expense? The problems G.M., Chrysler and Ford face now have been building for decades. (READ MORE)
Jules Crittenden: War Is Heck - Exhibit A, Andrew Sullivan re Dick Cheney on presidential war powers: “One thing you have to concede to Dick Cheney. He says what he thinks. How can the suspension of all laws into the power of the executive branch in wartime be seen as a defense or protection of the Constitution? Perhaps for a brief amount of time in a dire emergency, after which there would be a thorough accounting to the Congress and the Courts. But indefinitely? As inherent in the office? And with jurisdiction over the entire United States as well as the world? With ‘enemy combatants’ defined as anyone the president calls an ‘enemy combatant’ and no distinction between citizen and non-citizen? Including the right to torture? Indefinitely?” Breathless histrionics his. Whatever alternative United States Sullivan has dwelt in for the last seven years, sounds like it’s been a living heck. All laws suspended indefinitely. Enemy combatant labels slapped on everyone, everyone tortured … indefinitely. (READ MORE)
Michelle Malkin: Document drop: The story behind Change.gov - I’ve obtained documents sent to a reader in response to his FOIA request regarding the creation of Barack Obama’s Change.gov website. It gives you the rest of the story. You’ll recall last month that I blogged several questions about the propriety of allowing the perpetual Obama campaign to use a .gov domain name for what appeared to be a fund-raising front. Readers and industry observers noted that the decision appeared to violate General Services Administration rules governing government domains. Guess what? They were right. The FOIA documents sent to Lance O., which he forwarded to me, reveal that the GSA initially rejected Obama’s application for “Change.gov.” On Oct. 21, Peter Alterman, Deputy Associate Administrator of Technology Strategy at the GSA, denied the Obama campaign’s request for a government domain because: (READ MORE)
Dan Riehl: The Incredible Lightness Of Being Andrew - It seems someone has stumbled upon recent proof of Andrew Sullivan's conservative bona fides, though some might just call it being cheap in this case. If you search Andrew Sullivan's URL, there appear to be about 27 posts in which Andrew Sullivan implored his readers to donate to the Proposition 8 initiative in California. Here's one example from October 23. Perhaps Andy has a different definition for the word "us?" “Pretty much unchanged since the last poll but with a small uptick in the numbers against marriage equality. We have our work cut out for us. You can donate here.” A link as far back as September "renders" this: “You can donate to the effort to prevent countless married gay couples in California from having their marriages rendered void here.” Such passion. Such compassion. Such a voice. But is that all there is? (READ MORE)
Melanie Phillips Blog: Prosecute him - The Centre for Social Cohesion has noticed that Ashok Bukhari, the extremist who runs the Islamist Muslim Public Affairs Committee website, has now been openly glorifying terrorism. On a public facebook discussion forum, he said: “Muslims who fight against the occupation of their lands are ‘Mujahadeen’ and are blessed by Allah. And any Muslim who fights against Israel and dies is a martyr and will be granted paradise. The concept of Jihad is a beautiful thing, and logical to those with a sincere heart. It tells the human being to stand up and fight against those who bring evil and oppression on this earth, and by standing up - roll back that oppression until the people are free from it. There is no greater oppressor on this earth then [sic] the Zionists, who murder little children for sport...Any public attack on Islam and the Ummah is not going to be tolerated by men like me. I have dealt with these Zionists before, a veneer of reason, below which lies a crooked mind plotting and planning to extend their hatred against us.” (READ MORE)
ROFASix: Bubba! Did DoD take over the USA? - I have always accepted without question the reason the military moved into State and other federal agency areas of responsibility was because those agencies refused to step up to the plate in Iraq and Afghanistan. In State's case, I had no reason to doubt that Foggy Bottom was so opposed to the Iraq war that they refused to participate in Iraq. Members of State would only accept a posting to Iraq when given the choice of "do it or be fired," I was told more than once. That was pretty much confirmed a couple of years ago when news stories to that effect surfaced a couple of years ago, when the guys and gals in pin-striped suits essentially mutinied against Secretary Rice over Iraq. That was also about the time the silly talk about her replacing Cheney on the ticket ended. All that is why I found, The Pentagon is muscling in everywhere. It's time to stop the mission creep," in Sunday's Washington Post, so interesting. (READ MORE)
William Teach: Global Warming Could End White Christmas’ - Um, OK, sure, whatever you say. “The odds of a “white Christmas” in temperate parts of the northern hemisphere have diminished in the last century due to climate change and will likely decline further by 2100, climate and meteorology experts said.” Did you ever notice (I’m typing in Jerry Seinfeld) that Climahysterics love to throw out “2100?” Why is that? Could it be because most people reading it will not be around in 2100, so there is no way for anyone to disprove it at this time? And by Climate Change, they mean Man made, not natural, which is primarily what has occured since around 1850, when the Little Ice Age ended. They want us to believe this tripe, yet, they can’t even get a 7 day forecast correct. Now I am waiting for the “but, that’s weather. Climate is totally different!” Suckers. “Even though heavy snow this year will guarantee a white Christmas in many parts of Asia, Europe and North America, an 0.7-degree Celsius (1.3 Fahrenheit) rise in world temperatures since 1900 and projected bigger rises by 2100 suggest an inexorable trend.” In other words, don’t pay attention to the man behind the screen, means nada. But, 1.3 F in almost 110 years? (READ MORE)
The Sundries Shack: You Don’t Know Mike Duncan, But He Should Be Fired - I bet that none of you right now can tell me who Mike Duncan is. That’s a problem, if you’re a Republican. On the other hand, I bet that most of you can tell me who Howard Dean is. If you can’t, I’ll help you out. Howard Dean is the guy who led Democrats to a series of solid victories this past election over a slate of generally pathetic Republicans led by Mike Duncan, the chair of the RNC. Duncan was Elmer Fudd to Dean’s Bugs Bunny, the Margaret Dumont (without even the stately dignity) to Dean’s Groucho Marx, the Hamilton Burger to his Perry Mason, the…well, you get the idea here. Normally, someone so disgraced would slink off into a cushy job at a think tank, or would write a middling book or something like that. Not Duncan. He’s decided to run for RNC chair again. (READ MORE)
Cassandra: Wrong Question - Leonard Downie, former executive editor of the WaPo, asks a question: “The death last week of W. Mark Felt -- Bob Woodward's secret source, indelibly dubbed ‘Deep Throat,’ who played such a crucial role in this newspaper's Watergate reporting -- coincided with the appearance of Richard M. Nixon, as played by Frank Langella, on local movie screens. As I watched Langella's Nixon being interrogated about the conspiracy and coverup by Michael Sheen's David Frost in ‘Frost/Nixon,’ I relived strong memories. And Felt's death raised the inevitable question: Could the kind of reporting that Woodward and Carl Bernstein pulled off be done today, more than three decades later, in the age of the Internet?” But that's the wrong question, isn't it? With a Democrat in the Oval Office - a candidate the media singularly failed to even make a pretense of vetting, the question isn't "could" the kind of investigative reporting that uncovered Watergate be pulled off today? It's would it even be attempted? Let's face a few inconvenient truths. (READ MORE)
Mark Steyn: Can You Still See the USA in Your Chevrolet? - ‘See the USA in your Chevrolet!” trilled Dinah Shore week after week on TV. Can you still see the USA in your Chevrolet? Through a windscreen darkly. General Motors now has a market valuation about a third of Bed, Bath And Beyond, and no one says your Swash 700 Elongated Biscuit Toilet Seat Bidet is too big to fail. GM has a market capitalization of just over two billion dollars. For purposes of comparison, Toyota’s market cap is one hundred billion and change (the change being bigger than the whole of GM). General Motors, like the other two geezers of the Old Three, is a vast retirement home with a small loss-making auto subsidiary. The UAW is the AARP in an Edsel: It has three times as many retirees and widows as “workers” (I use the term loosely). GM has 96,000 employees but provides health benefits to a million people. How do you make that math add up? Not by selling cars: (READ MORE)
Information Dissemination: The Grey Lady Weighs In - The New York Times has published an editorial on funding the Pentagon in the coming years, along with specific recommendations on various big-name Pentagon procurement programs. I won't repeat their recommendations here, since you can easily read them at the link above, but wanted to touch on a few of them. They recommend canceling the Virginia-class submarine (SSN-774) program, and instead spending money to 'extend the operating lives of the existing fleet of Los Angeles class fast-attack nuclear submarines, which can capably perform all needed post-cold-war missions — from launching cruise missiles to countering China’s expanding but technologically inferior submarine fleet.' They further claim that this decision would produce net savings of $2.5 billion. Given that they describe the Virginias as costing $2 billion each, recommending that the U.S. put off the replacement of a submarine force which is already aging and which was acquired initially at a high rate, meaning that it will leave service at the same high rate, for savings amounting to little more than the cost of one of the current boats seems foolish to me. (READ MORE)
Chicago Boyz: The Selfish Left - In the NYTimes, Nicholas Kristof ask why Leftist give less to charity [h/t Instapundit] than do those on the Right. Why do the people who collectively advocate redistributing wealth from producers to the poor donate so little as individuals to the same cause? I think the reason simple: Leftism isn’t about compassion. Leftism is about control. Leftism is about freeing the individual from personal responsibility for anything, including charity. Redistribution via government coercion enhances the power of Leftist in two ways: First, it takes from the productive segments of society reducing their freedom of action and forcing them them to kowtow to Leftist in order to try to avoid even harsher confiscation. Second, it creates a large population of individuals who depend on Leftist for the necessities of life. A poor person in America today relies on government for food, shelter, jobs, medical car, transportation, etc. They can’t be defined as “free” in any meaningful sense. (READ MORE)
Victor Davis Hanson: Desperately Seeking Caroline - The probable appointment of Caroline Kennedy, the 51-year-old daughter of former President John Kennedy, to fill Secretary-of-State nominee Hillary Clinton’s New York Senate seat is both laughable and yet a parable for our bankrupt times. Consider aristocratic entitlement. Ms. Kennedy apparently spends a great deal of her time divided between her Park Avenue Upper-East-Side Manhattan townhouse and her hereditary estate on Martha’s Vineyard. She has had no real experience with the ordinary lives of New Yorkers, either a few dozen blocks away in Harlem (despite a sudden ad hoc lunch last week with the Rev. Sharpton at a soul food diner) or the state’s rural towns to the north. Ms. Kennedy is about as undiverse as one could imagine. She was educated at exclusively private schools among those of her like race and class. Her financial security is due to either inheritance or marriage; there is no evidence of a self-employed stellar legal or business career. But there is plenty of evidence that Ms. Kennedy reflects the current Democratic Party’s obsession with celebrity and Hollywood-like imagery: (READ MORE)
Ed Morrissey: Blago-Rahma: Immunity grant sought by Jackson fundraiser - The Chicago Tribune gives both Rod Blagojevich and Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr some bad news. “Individual D”, the person pressured by the Illinois governor to cough up some cash for Jackson’s appointment to the Senate, has requested immunity from Patrick Fitzgerald in return for cooperation: When a witness wants immunity, it’s usually because they’ve committed some crimes. They get immunity by providing information that convicts others of bigger crimes. Nayak must know that Fitzgerald has enough on him to make life very uncomfortable over the next several years, and his request signals that he’s willing to cut deals to minimize that as much as possible. Jackson has been named by sources as Candidate #5, the one Blagojevich considered most willing to play ball but unsure of whether he could provide the cash Blagojevich sought. (READ MORE)
TigerHawk: Christmas in Iraq - What person of good will -- regardless of religion -- cannot take pleasure in the first ever public Christmas celebration in Iraq? It is a measure of Iraq's commitment to stay together as a country that its government, which will soon enough face the voters again, has sponsored such an unlikely event. The picture of Santa Claus in the Iraqi flag is remarkable, to say the least. Naturally, I cannot resist a few observations that will annoy everybody. First, this is another nail in the coffin of the profoundly misguided proposal that Iraq ought to break into three or more pieces. Some reporter somewhere needs to extract a confession of error from Joe Biden, among others. Since he will probably be on television this morning, why not start with this story? Second, "multiculturalism," or at least the institutional respect and acceptance of religious minorities, has its virtues. (READ MORE)
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December 21, 2008
December 20, 2008
School Supplies
U.S. Army 1st Sgt. Jonathan White hands out pencils to students at an all-girls school in Saab al Bour, Iraq, Dec. 6, 2008. White is assigned to the 25th Infantry Division's 66th Engineer Company, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Daniel Turner.
On Camera
An Iraqi girl records U.S. Soldiers of 2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division as they speak with members of Women's Hope and Children's Future, a humanitarian organization in Diwaniyah, Iraq, Dec. 9. Members of Women's Hope and Children's Future invite local Iraqi families to come to their headquarters to receive lamb meat. Photo by Senior Airman Eric Harris.
December 19, 2008
NO PARDON - NO WAY!
The family of convicted American jihadist John Walker Lindh are asking President Bush to pardon their son.
John Michael Spann was killed in the prison revolt at Mazar E Shiref. Lindh knew of the planned revolt and did nothing, because he was ans is a member of the Taliban and wanted to kill Americans.
Lindh, lives the life of "luxury" in a medium security prison enjoying the privilege of cooking his meals for himself and fellow inmates, working in the library, and praying to Mecca.
This is the result of Lindh's treason:
Lindh does not deserve a pardon, and if you ask me he got off lightly for his treasonous acts. The only person that can pardon Lindh can be found in Arlington Cemetery, in section 43 grave site 2539.
Surprise Visit
U.S. President George W. Bush meets with U.S. military personnel during a surprise visit to Al Faw Palace, Camp Victory, Iraq, Dec. 14. Photo by Spc. Brandon Price.
From the Front: 12/19/2008
News and Personal dispatches from the front and the home front.
In their own words:
The Battlefield Tourist: Female Militant Wounded and Captured in Afghanistan - A raid against a suspected al Qaeda cell in eastern Khowst Province resulted in three dead militants and five others captured, including a woman. Afghan National Police, accompanied by a Coaltion force, surrounded a compound where the suspected al Qaeda leader was hiding. After a call for surrender, a man inside the compound opened fire on the coalition, who returned fire, killing the man. As the force moved in to search the buildings, three other militants were seen trying to maneuver on them with small arms and were fired on, killing two and wounding the third. The surviving militant turned out to be a female who had non-life threatening wounds. (READ MORE)
Bad Dogs and Such: Best Army Idea - Ever - And I'm not even being sarcastic. That, ladies and gentlemen, is SFC Boe. She is a therapy dog. Not just any therapy, either. Combat Stress Control therapy. Iraq can make you crazy in a zillion different ways, whether you be the guy who gets griped at about PowerPoint slides or the guy kicking down doors or the gal flying medevac birds or the kid processing 10,000 leave forms. There's plety of stress and plenty of crazy to go around. However, somebody got smart, and now there's something nice here that soldiers can pet, maybe talk to, maybe cuddle a little, and feel normal with. That's good. Three cheers for SFC Boe the therapy dog, and two tails wagging for the Army for finally getting something right. (READ MORE)
Bill and Bob's Excellent Adventure: The More Things Change... - Witness this post on Afghanistan Shrugged, the best (IMO) soldier milblog in Afghanistan right now. Longwarrior would be right up there, too, but he's been unable or uninspired to post. Longwarrior's latest bespeaks the disillusionment that sets in upon exposure to the Afghan reality; the stuff they don't teach you at Ft Riley. In any case, Vampire06 is doing a fabulous job of conveying the feeling of doing your best with some pretty workable Afghans all while having your hands tied behind your back by both your chain and the parallel ISAF chain. His frustration is evident, and I empathize completely. Working with the Afghans gave a real sense of satisfaction, while the American chain offered so much frustration and contradiction. (READ MORE)
The Left Captain: Crawling towards Christmas - I'm sure loyal readers are wondering "what's going on over there?". My wife mentioned to me that I hadn't written an entry in a while. Similar to October, I seemed to have stalled out in terms of motivation, mood, and enthusiasm. I thought that December would bring an increase in motivation because the "end" is practically at the doorstep of the new year, but somehow December has slowed down time . With each day that passes, it seems like one day is added to an imagined month of January. This imaginary calendar has days added by snow and endless delays due to weather or other movement problems. What hasn't helped has been more outside the wire taskings by the Army chain of command here. I've caught the superstitions-- agonizing over the "one last mission" scenario, especially when it's a bullshit mission with very little value, other than keeping the area commander happy. (READ MORE)
Bill Roggio: Omar Saeed Sheikh plots assassination from Pakistani jail - Senior al Qaeda operative Omar Saeed Sheikh plotted to kill Pakistan’s former president while serving a jail sentence, and is also believed to be complicit in the murder of a senior Pakistani counterterrorism officer. Omar plotted to kill former President Pervez Musharraf and Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Kiyani while serving a sentence at the Hyderabad Jail for the murder of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl in 2002, The News reported. Senior US officials confirmed to The Long War Journal Omar's role as the leader of in what The News described as "a clandestine terror network." From prison, Omar called Musharraf on his personal cell phone in mid-November and threatened his life. "I am after you, get ready to die," Omar reportedly told Musharraf. (READ MORE)
Sorority Soldier: Life of a Reservist - A week from yesterday and I’ll be boarding a plane… I’m ecsatic. I’m so ready to get home and see my family, but I’m trying not to let that derail my focus - I’ve still got 3 days of journalism training and a night range to complete. At 1530, I’m set to go on a training mission with an MP unit. I’m going with a print journalist, Monty, and the unit has cleverly coined these PB&J teams (print and broadcast journalists). The mission doesn’t actually kick off until around 1700, and since it’s hard to see a hand in front of your face by 1645, I doubt I’ll be able to see MPs running around in the woods. I’m trying to think positive though. I’ve got a camera light which I might be able to use, but if it interferes with their training then I’m going to have to use whatever natural light I can find. We’re running 24 ops for the next three days, so when I get back from my mission I’ll have 24 hours to complete a story and go back out. (READ MORE)
Bill Roggio: US forces detain Iranian 'agent' near Baghdad - Coalition special operations forces captured a suspected Iranian "agent" and an associate during an early morning raids north of Baghdad, Multinational Forces Iraq reported. The Iranian is described as a "commander of Iranian special operations in Iraq who is also believed to be involved in facilitating training of Iraqi militants at Islamic Republican Guard Corps-Qods Force training camps." The raids took place in the town of Qastin in Diyala province. The Iranian agent then led US forces to his associate. (READ MORE)
News from the Front:
Iraq:
Marine sergeant acquitted in Fallouja killings wants to rejoin Riverside police - A former Marine sergeant acquitted by a civilian jury in August in the killing of four Iraqi prisoners in 2004 is trying to rejoin the Riverside Police Department. Jose Luis Nazario was dismissed as a probationary officer when charges were levied by the U.S. attorney's office. Now he has reapplied to the Riverside department and some others. As a probationary employee, Nazario had no civil service protection. (READ MORE)
Coalition forces further degrade AQI in central Iraq: 11 suspects detained - BAGHDAD – Coalition forces continued to target al-Qaeda terrorist networks in central Iraq Thursday and Friday, capturing two wanted men and detaining nine additional suspects. Thursday near Ad Dawr, 130 km north of Baghdad, forces captured a wanted man assessed to be a local AQI financier. He is also believed to have connections with local AQI leaders. (READ MORE)
Personal Security Team swings in to help local Iraqi School - JADDILAH SOFLIH, Iraq – Soldiers fromthe16th Sustainment Brigade put a lighter touch on their normal duties here, Dec. 17. Soldiers from the Personal Security Team, Bravo Company, 16th Special Troops Battalion, 16th Sustainment Brigade., delivered a brand new swing set to the Jaddilah Soflih Elementary School. (READ MORE)
Iraqi Security Forces capture 13 terrorists in northern Iraq - BALAD, Iraq – Iraqi Security Forces, with Coalition forces advisors, captured 13 suspected terrorists during separate operations in northern Iraq Dec. 13 and 14. In an operation Dec. 13, Iraqi Army commandos, under the authority of warrants issued by Central Criminal Court of Iraq judges, arrested nine suspected terrorist cell members in Ijhalla Village, Iraq. Those captured are suspected of being responsible for vehicle-borne IED attacks. (READ MORE)
Sadr City has its own newspaper, the Al Medina - BAGHDAD – A monumental achievement was accomplished Nov. 3 in the highly populated Baghdad district of Sadr City. This time it wasn’t a record number of barriers put in place or another Special Groups criminal captured, instead it was the publication of the first local Sadr City newspaper, the Al Medina. (READ MORE)
INPs discover roadside bomb - BAGHDAD – Iraqi National Policemen from the 1st Battalion, 7th Brigade, 2nd National Police Division, who conduct combined operations daily with Soldiers from Company C, 2nd Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, attached to 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, MND-B, discovered a 155 mm artillery round with wires and two blasting caps at approximately 6 p.m. in the Hadar community. An explosives ordnance disposal unit responded to properly dispose of the round. (READ MORE)
MND-B Soldiers help young victims of explosion - BAGHDAD – Multi-National Division- Baghdad Soldiers from the 4th Battalion, 27th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division responded to help three Iraqi children injured when what is believed to be a piece of unexploded ordnance detonated in a field where they were grazing their sheep Dec. 15 south of Baghdad near Combat Outpost Meade. (READ MORE)
Marines Continue Water, Medical Deliveries - BAAJ — U.S. Marines continue to deliver bottled water and medical aid to their Iraqi neighbors here and outside the city. “We’re doing local engagements here for force-protection issues, and we revisit our neighbors to identify any changes,” said Marine Lt. Col. Andrew J. Drake, plans officer, Jump Command Point (JCP), Multi-National Force - West. “Also, it’s a courtesy to promote good relations by bringing water [and medical] corpsmen, and there’s the possibility we can develop intelligence resources,” Drake said. (READ MORE)
Iraqi Police Lead Combined Operation - FOB LOYALTY — National Police (NP) officers and Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers conducted a combined operation to search for illegally possessed weapons in eastern Baghdad, Dec 13. NP from 3rd Battalion, 1st Brigade, 1st National Police Division, led the operation, which occurred in the Baghdad Al Jadida area of New Baghdad. (READ MORE)
Students, Community Celebrate Al Kanat School Renovations - FOB LOYALTY — Students, faculty and community members celebrated as a local leader cut the ribbon symbolizing completion of renovations to Al Kanat School in the Rusafa district of eastern Baghdad, Dec. 16. Ali Hussein Nahi, the deputy minister of education for Rusafa, cut the ribbon, and Al’aa Dagher, Rusafa district council chairman, helped mark the project’s completion and official school re-opening. (READ MORE)
In their own words:
The Battlefield Tourist: Female Militant Wounded and Captured in Afghanistan - A raid against a suspected al Qaeda cell in eastern Khowst Province resulted in three dead militants and five others captured, including a woman. Afghan National Police, accompanied by a Coaltion force, surrounded a compound where the suspected al Qaeda leader was hiding. After a call for surrender, a man inside the compound opened fire on the coalition, who returned fire, killing the man. As the force moved in to search the buildings, three other militants were seen trying to maneuver on them with small arms and were fired on, killing two and wounding the third. The surviving militant turned out to be a female who had non-life threatening wounds. (READ MORE)
Bad Dogs and Such: Best Army Idea - Ever - And I'm not even being sarcastic. That, ladies and gentlemen, is SFC Boe. She is a therapy dog. Not just any therapy, either. Combat Stress Control therapy. Iraq can make you crazy in a zillion different ways, whether you be the guy who gets griped at about PowerPoint slides or the guy kicking down doors or the gal flying medevac birds or the kid processing 10,000 leave forms. There's plety of stress and plenty of crazy to go around. However, somebody got smart, and now there's something nice here that soldiers can pet, maybe talk to, maybe cuddle a little, and feel normal with. That's good. Three cheers for SFC Boe the therapy dog, and two tails wagging for the Army for finally getting something right. (READ MORE)
Bill and Bob's Excellent Adventure: The More Things Change... - Witness this post on Afghanistan Shrugged, the best (IMO) soldier milblog in Afghanistan right now. Longwarrior would be right up there, too, but he's been unable or uninspired to post. Longwarrior's latest bespeaks the disillusionment that sets in upon exposure to the Afghan reality; the stuff they don't teach you at Ft Riley. In any case, Vampire06 is doing a fabulous job of conveying the feeling of doing your best with some pretty workable Afghans all while having your hands tied behind your back by both your chain and the parallel ISAF chain. His frustration is evident, and I empathize completely. Working with the Afghans gave a real sense of satisfaction, while the American chain offered so much frustration and contradiction. (READ MORE)
The Left Captain: Crawling towards Christmas - I'm sure loyal readers are wondering "what's going on over there?". My wife mentioned to me that I hadn't written an entry in a while. Similar to October, I seemed to have stalled out in terms of motivation, mood, and enthusiasm. I thought that December would bring an increase in motivation because the "end" is practically at the doorstep of the new year, but somehow December has slowed down time . With each day that passes, it seems like one day is added to an imagined month of January. This imaginary calendar has days added by snow and endless delays due to weather or other movement problems. What hasn't helped has been more outside the wire taskings by the Army chain of command here. I've caught the superstitions-- agonizing over the "one last mission" scenario, especially when it's a bullshit mission with very little value, other than keeping the area commander happy. (READ MORE)
Bill Roggio: Omar Saeed Sheikh plots assassination from Pakistani jail - Senior al Qaeda operative Omar Saeed Sheikh plotted to kill Pakistan’s former president while serving a jail sentence, and is also believed to be complicit in the murder of a senior Pakistani counterterrorism officer. Omar plotted to kill former President Pervez Musharraf and Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Kiyani while serving a sentence at the Hyderabad Jail for the murder of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl in 2002, The News reported. Senior US officials confirmed to The Long War Journal Omar's role as the leader of in what The News described as "a clandestine terror network." From prison, Omar called Musharraf on his personal cell phone in mid-November and threatened his life. "I am after you, get ready to die," Omar reportedly told Musharraf. (READ MORE)
Sorority Soldier: Life of a Reservist - A week from yesterday and I’ll be boarding a plane… I’m ecsatic. I’m so ready to get home and see my family, but I’m trying not to let that derail my focus - I’ve still got 3 days of journalism training and a night range to complete. At 1530, I’m set to go on a training mission with an MP unit. I’m going with a print journalist, Monty, and the unit has cleverly coined these PB&J teams (print and broadcast journalists). The mission doesn’t actually kick off until around 1700, and since it’s hard to see a hand in front of your face by 1645, I doubt I’ll be able to see MPs running around in the woods. I’m trying to think positive though. I’ve got a camera light which I might be able to use, but if it interferes with their training then I’m going to have to use whatever natural light I can find. We’re running 24 ops for the next three days, so when I get back from my mission I’ll have 24 hours to complete a story and go back out. (READ MORE)
Bill Roggio: US forces detain Iranian 'agent' near Baghdad - Coalition special operations forces captured a suspected Iranian "agent" and an associate during an early morning raids north of Baghdad, Multinational Forces Iraq reported. The Iranian is described as a "commander of Iranian special operations in Iraq who is also believed to be involved in facilitating training of Iraqi militants at Islamic Republican Guard Corps-Qods Force training camps." The raids took place in the town of Qastin in Diyala province. The Iranian agent then led US forces to his associate. (READ MORE)
News from the Front:
Iraq:
Marine sergeant acquitted in Fallouja killings wants to rejoin Riverside police - A former Marine sergeant acquitted by a civilian jury in August in the killing of four Iraqi prisoners in 2004 is trying to rejoin the Riverside Police Department. Jose Luis Nazario was dismissed as a probationary officer when charges were levied by the U.S. attorney's office. Now he has reapplied to the Riverside department and some others. As a probationary employee, Nazario had no civil service protection. (READ MORE)
Coalition forces further degrade AQI in central Iraq: 11 suspects detained - BAGHDAD – Coalition forces continued to target al-Qaeda terrorist networks in central Iraq Thursday and Friday, capturing two wanted men and detaining nine additional suspects. Thursday near Ad Dawr, 130 km north of Baghdad, forces captured a wanted man assessed to be a local AQI financier. He is also believed to have connections with local AQI leaders. (READ MORE)
Personal Security Team swings in to help local Iraqi School - JADDILAH SOFLIH, Iraq – Soldiers fromthe16th Sustainment Brigade put a lighter touch on their normal duties here, Dec. 17. Soldiers from the Personal Security Team, Bravo Company, 16th Special Troops Battalion, 16th Sustainment Brigade., delivered a brand new swing set to the Jaddilah Soflih Elementary School. (READ MORE)
Iraqi Security Forces capture 13 terrorists in northern Iraq - BALAD, Iraq – Iraqi Security Forces, with Coalition forces advisors, captured 13 suspected terrorists during separate operations in northern Iraq Dec. 13 and 14. In an operation Dec. 13, Iraqi Army commandos, under the authority of warrants issued by Central Criminal Court of Iraq judges, arrested nine suspected terrorist cell members in Ijhalla Village, Iraq. Those captured are suspected of being responsible for vehicle-borne IED attacks. (READ MORE)
Sadr City has its own newspaper, the Al Medina - BAGHDAD – A monumental achievement was accomplished Nov. 3 in the highly populated Baghdad district of Sadr City. This time it wasn’t a record number of barriers put in place or another Special Groups criminal captured, instead it was the publication of the first local Sadr City newspaper, the Al Medina. (READ MORE)
INPs discover roadside bomb - BAGHDAD – Iraqi National Policemen from the 1st Battalion, 7th Brigade, 2nd National Police Division, who conduct combined operations daily with Soldiers from Company C, 2nd Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, attached to 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, MND-B, discovered a 155 mm artillery round with wires and two blasting caps at approximately 6 p.m. in the Hadar community. An explosives ordnance disposal unit responded to properly dispose of the round. (READ MORE)
MND-B Soldiers help young victims of explosion - BAGHDAD – Multi-National Division- Baghdad Soldiers from the 4th Battalion, 27th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division responded to help three Iraqi children injured when what is believed to be a piece of unexploded ordnance detonated in a field where they were grazing their sheep Dec. 15 south of Baghdad near Combat Outpost Meade. (READ MORE)
Marines Continue Water, Medical Deliveries - BAAJ — U.S. Marines continue to deliver bottled water and medical aid to their Iraqi neighbors here and outside the city. “We’re doing local engagements here for force-protection issues, and we revisit our neighbors to identify any changes,” said Marine Lt. Col. Andrew J. Drake, plans officer, Jump Command Point (JCP), Multi-National Force - West. “Also, it’s a courtesy to promote good relations by bringing water [and medical] corpsmen, and there’s the possibility we can develop intelligence resources,” Drake said. (READ MORE)
Iraqi Police Lead Combined Operation - FOB LOYALTY — National Police (NP) officers and Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers conducted a combined operation to search for illegally possessed weapons in eastern Baghdad, Dec 13. NP from 3rd Battalion, 1st Brigade, 1st National Police Division, led the operation, which occurred in the Baghdad Al Jadida area of New Baghdad. (READ MORE)
Students, Community Celebrate Al Kanat School Renovations - FOB LOYALTY — Students, faculty and community members celebrated as a local leader cut the ribbon symbolizing completion of renovations to Al Kanat School in the Rusafa district of eastern Baghdad, Dec. 16. Ali Hussein Nahi, the deputy minister of education for Rusafa, cut the ribbon, and Al’aa Dagher, Rusafa district council chairman, helped mark the project’s completion and official school re-opening. (READ MORE)
Prior Planning
U.S. Air Force Airmen Staff Sgt. Kristopher Green plans a mission with an Iraqi national policeman of the criminal investigations division prior to a walking patrol. They are meeting Iraqi civilians and handing out leaflets in the Rashid community of southern Baghdad, Iraq, Dec. 4, 2008. Photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Todd Frantom.
Multi-tasking
An Iraqi woman reads over a leaflet given to her by Iraqi National Police of the criminal investigations division in the Rashid community of southern Baghdad, Iraq, Dec. 4, 2008. Photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Todd Frantom.
Web Reconnaissance for 12/19/2008
A short recon of what’s out there that might draw your attention, updated throughout the day...so check back often.
In the News: (Registration may be required to read some stories)
The Real 'Torture' Disgrace - The release of Carl Levin's report on the Bush Administration's alleged "torture" policies was a formality: The Senator's conclusions were politically predetermined long ago. Still, the credulity and acclaim that has greeted this agitprop is embarrassing, even by Washington standards. (READ MORE)
A Dollar Referendum - As it has so often in recent months, the market elation that greeted the Federal Reserve's epic monetary easing earlier this week has turned to worry. Stocks fell off again yesterday, but the big news of the week has been the slide in the dollar. (READ MORE)
'Deep Throat' Mark Felt Dies at 95 - W. Mark Felt Sr., the associate director of the FBI during the Watergate scandal who, better known as "Deep Throat," became the most famous anonymous source in American history, died yesterday. He was 95. (READ MORE)
Obama Team Assembling $850 Billion Stimulus - President-elect Barack Obama and congressional Democrats have entered discussions over an economic stimulus package that could grow to include $850 billion in new spending and tax cuts over the next two years, a gigantic sum that some Democrats say could prove difficult to push rapidly through... (READ MORE)
Plans Being Drawn to Close Guantanamo Prison - The Pentagon is drawing up plans to shut the military prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to be prepared for any order from President-elect Barack Obama, who has promised to close the controversial facility after he assumes office Jan. 20, a defense official said yesterday. (READ MORE)
Arrests in Iraq Seen as Politically Motivated - BAGHDAD, Dec. 18 -- Iraqi politicians said Thursday that the arrests of government officials accused of supporting a group linked to Saddam Hussein's Baath Party was an attempt by Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to demonstrate his power. (READ MORE)
On the Web:
Donald Douglas: Gay Radicalism Key to Left's Agenda Under Obama - As regular readers know, the next stage of the left's agenda emerged on November 5th, the day after the election when Democrats saw the historic victory of the country's first black president. Obama's win was nevertheless regarded as "bittersweet" for many, as voters in California also passed Proposition 8, which restored marriage traditionalism to the state's constitution. Since then, we've seen a non-stop campaign of intimidation and show trials against the "bigots" and "homophobes" who exercised their rights by contributing to and voting on the passage of the initiative. We've already seen a lot of grumbling on the left during the Obama transition, of course. Leftists have been boiling with resentment over the "lack of representation" by "progressives" in the cabinet, as we've seen according to story after story in the press. (READ MORE)
Lawhawk: Pakistani Jails = Communications Hubs For Terrorists - Prisons are supposed to keep the terrorists from communicating with their fellow jihadis and prevent terror plots from being hatched. That is far from the case in Pakistan, where the terrorists behind the murder of Daniel Pearl were able to use the Pakistani jail as a communications hub from which to direct an assassination plot against Pervez Musharraf. If this is what the Pakistanis do with the terrorists in their custody, imagine what the terrorists are able to do in places like the frontier provinces? If anything, the situation is even worse than that since we have once again been provided with evidence showing that Pakistani authorities are busy aiding and abetting the jihadis in their war against the West. This thug hasn't had his death sentence carried out because he's got friends in high places - or in this case, the Pakistani ISI. (READ MORE)
David Schenker: Gifts from Iran and Russia to Lebanon? - Lebanese Minister of Defense Elias Murr just returned from Moscow where he received an offer of 10 MIG 29 “Fulcrum” aircraft. The MIGs would be a significant boost to Lebanon’s depleted and antiquated fixed wing fleet, which today is comprised of some five 1950s-era Hunter Hawker aircraft. The Russian donation compliments the Iranian offer this past November—in response to Lebanese President Michel Suleiman’s request—to provide weapons to the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF). Given Lebanon’s limited defense budget, it’s hard to imagine how the LAF would finance the maintenance of the Russian aircraft. Moreover, if Beirut were to accept the Russian and Iranian offers, there could be significant implications for US relations with the LAF. (READ MORE)
Bear Creek Ledger: Pelousi fiddles while the economy goes down in flames - Nancy Pelousi has no problem telling Wall Street or Auto executives to cut their salaries but look at what she’s just done! She’s given herself and Congress a PAY RAISE! A pay raise in a time when so many Americans are losing their jobs. How heartless and money grubbing can you get? She’s taking money out of the mouths of children by extorting the American taxpayer to give herself a raise. “IBD - Raise Some Hell - Hypocrisy: With workers losing jobs by the millions and taxpayers forced to rescue banks and carmakers, how does Nancy Pelosi’s Congress show it cares? By giving themselves a big pay raise. What a great time for taxpayers to give senators and congressmen a $2.5 million jump in their already bloated salaries. It’s tough to get by on $217,400 a year if you’re House Speaker Nancy Pelosi — even if, as the Washington Times reported, you funneled nearly $100,000 from your political action committee to your husband’s business over a decade.” (READ MORE)
Noah Shachtman: Wikileaks Posts Secret Bomb-Stopper Report — Did It Go Too Far? - In July, 2005, I asked a member of a Baghdad-based military bomb squad about the radio-frequency jammers his team was using to cut off signals to Iraq's remotely detonated explosives. His response: "I can't even begin to say the first fucking thing about 'em." A few days later, one of those jammers seemed to save me and him from getting blown up. Months after that, David Axe was thrown out of Iraq by the U.S. military, for a blog post which mentioned the Warlock family of jammers. So I was more than a little surprised, when I saw that Wikileaks had posted a classified report, outlining how the Warlock Red and Warlock Green jammers work with — and interfere with — military communications systems. The report, dated 2004, gives specific information about how the jammers function, their radiated power and which frequencies they stop. That Baghdad bomb tech would've put his fist through a wall, if he saw it out in public. (READ MORE)
Don Surber: Obamacare - A government doctor weighs in: “The same government that mishandled Katrina, created the current mortgage crisis, and failed to monitor Mr. Madoff is now going to run our health care.” If you ever want to become an instant expert on a subject, write a newspaper column. People will educate you quick. Especially after the column ran. When it is too late to save you from yourself. So I was delighted when a correspondent who is a medical doctor in the military wrote me about this week’s column on government-run health care. I share, sans name. I vouch for the authenticity. You can believe me or not. “Dear Mr. Surber, You are very wise. Your opinion of government run health care is spot on. I am a military doc serving to repay the government as they paid for my medical school. The little military clinic in which I serve is a great example of what is in store for Americans if OBAMAcare is enacted.” (READ MORE)
Hamilton, Madison, and Jay: The very definition of idiocy out of Congress - We have no confidence in this incoming Congress. These people are utter fools, and their obtuse ideas defy logic or reason. Geraghty the Indispensable explains the newest point of idiocy to come out of Congress: “Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-California, is talking about not only bringing back the Fairness Doctrine, but somehow, in some constitutionally dubious way, applying it to forms of communication that do not include public airwaves — i.e., cable and satellite programming. It is worth remembering, at moments like these, that Obama has said he opposes reinstating the Fairness Doctrine. It is also worth remembering, at moments like these, that all statements from Barack Obama come with an expiration date. All of them. Think about this. A congresswoman, believing that ‘there should be equal time for the spoken word,’ is going to have the government step in and regulate what can be said on privately owned communication systems, i.e., cable television and satellite radio. And at no point does it cross her mind that this would violate the First Amendment.” (READ MORE)
Gribbit's Word: Bush “Cronyism” Unmatched By Obama’s - Where’s The Leftist Backlash? - For all the leftist complaining that we’ve had to endure over the past 8 years about President George W. Bush’s supposed “cronyism”, the left seems awful silent on Barry’s. In the latest example of King (in waiting) Barry H. ‘Sorento’ Obama’s brand of “cronyism”, the ‘Chosen One’ has named the head of Chicago Schools to become Secretary of Education. That’s right campers, the ‘Messiah’ himself has named the chief of a failing public school system to a post which could lead to the widening of that failure. From FoxNews.com: “President-elect Barack Obama on Tuesday tapped Chicago schools chief Arne Duncan to be his education secretary, calling Duncan a hands-on and unyielding advocate who would help craft a ‘new vision’ for education in America.” His vision? Widespread poverty and ignorance. (READ MORE)
Jules Crittenden: Managing Your Greenwald Relationship - The Other McCain has been graced with a Greenwald citation. High honor. If you wish to continue to be mentioned by the (throughly self-documented) great one, it is important that you avoid a few pitfalls. No references to that unfortunate “sockpuppet” affair. Greenwald has an ego so big, the extensive self-adulation of his “about” and the real estate at Salon being insufficient to the task, it has required other online identities to fully express it. I’d suggest you also avoid out-and-out mockery, as despite being a constitutional lawyer and purportedly bestselling author … “American Morons: Takes One To Know One,” ”A Constitutional Argument For Hanging George Bush By His Thumbs” and “How Would a Patriot Act? How Would I Know?” something like that — apparently people actually buy this stuff … Greenwald is very thin-skinned. (READ MORE)
Knee Deep In The Hooah!: Please Mr. President, NOT this bailout! - Mike Spann died serving his Country. He can not be pardoned, he can not be brought back and given back to his family and his Country. Spann was the first American casualty in Afghanistan. A young American man from California was present that day after he had left America to study Islam. He had joined the Taliban and had knowledge of the revolt that would lead to Spann’s death. Lindh, the American turned Taliban was not only present when Spann was killed, but he had foreknowledge of what was about to happen. Lindh and his family are asking President Bush for the most vulgar bailout proposal yet — they want a pardon from a sentence that many feel is already too short (20-years). CNN reported yesterday that Lindh is asking for President Bush to pardon him from his 20 year sentence. Lindh left the US and joined the Taliban. His parents claim that he did not participate in terrorist activities nor did he fight against US Forces. (READ MORE)
neo-neocon: Whatever Caroline wants, Caroline gets? - It came as a surprise to me to hear that Caroline Kennedy is pushing to be appointed as the replacement for New York Senator Hillary Clinton. I had always been under the impression that Caroline was a quiet and retiring sort, eschewing the public limelight for the more private joys of literature and the arts, philanthropy, and above all family. She was also a person who had learned only too well the perils of political fame. She seemed to step into an official role only reluctantly and intermittently, although with her lineage she could easily have run for office long ago. Welcome to the new Caroline. Except for her name and her law degree, she appears to lack any particular qualifications for the job, although it must be said that she is a bona fide New Yorker, unlike her late-arrival predecessor Hillary or earlier relative and NY Senator Bobby Kennedy. (READ MORE)
Donald Sensing: Qualifications and credentials - In the 1970s the US Army assessed the damage done to the officer corps by the Vietnam War. It wasn't pretty. Careerism had largely displaced professionalism. Col. Dandrige Malone, one of the principal assessors, wrote that the Army's historic code, "Duty, honor, country," had been pretty much replaced by "Me, my [rear] and my career." The Army's centuries-old ethic, not to lie, cheat or steal, not to tolerate anyone who does, had come to be honored only in the breach. With a combat leader's success in the profession was being measured primarily by how many dead enemy he reported after a fight - the now-mocked "body count syndrome" - body count inflation became rampant. A platoon leader would report, probably honestly, say 12 enemy killed. The company commander would add another five, the battalion commander another four, and by the time the report reached division, a 15-minute firefight would wind up having killed almost three-dozen VC or NVA. (READ MORE)
ShrinkWrapped: Moore's Law, an Economy of Abundance, and Disruptive Technology - The four most dangerous words for our economy are "this time is different." Anyone who has lived through and paid attention to, the last few bubble iterations (dot.com, housing, financial) knows that when the good times are rolling, the Cassandras who warn of impending doom are typically silenced with words to the effect that "this time is different." It raises the question of what conditions would need to exist for the economy to actually reach a point where the ruleswould change; in other words, what conditions could enable an economic singularity? The triumph of liberal capitalism (though in the present context of the early days of a frightening recession it may not seem particularly triumphant) has been the creation of wealth. By leveraging individual genius we were able to create a self-perpetuating technology that has raised the standard of living of even the poorest Westerner to levels that Kings could only dream about in the past. (READ MORE)
Susan Katz Keating: Ban on Blackwater? Read the Smoke - Interesting smoke patterns are wafting up from certain halls within Federal City. Mil-planning seems to be much on the politicians' minds. Here's what I see, and here's how I read it. Some powerful American politicians want the United States to stop using private security contractors in Iraq and Afghanistan. The burn pile mainly is the U.S.-based private security firm, Blackwater Worldwide. Sen. John Kerry, who will take the helm of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in January, wants the State Department to fire the American-based security firm. Additionally, the presumptive incoming Secretaryof State, Sen. Hillary Clinton, has cosponsored legislation to ban the use of private security contractors in Iraq and Afghanistan. (READ MORE)
Warner Todd Huston: In Case You Forgot, AP Still Reminding Palin’s a ‘Failed Republican Vice Presidential Candidate’ - I don’t know. Maybe the Associated Press thinks that no one is aware that John McCain lost his race for the White House? Maybe the AP thinks no one is aware that his choice for VP, Governor Sarah Palin, lost right along with him? Maybe the AP thinks that hardly any American has gotten the word that Obama and slow Joe Biden won on November 4th? The AP sure acts as if they think people still need it pointed out that Governor Sarah Palin is “the failed Republican vice presidential candidate.” At least if its current report on the latest doings in Alaska is concerned, anyway. After all, right in the middle of a report on Alaska state workers having sent around some race tinged joke emails, the AP helpfully reminds us that Palin is that aforementioned “failed Republican vice presidential candidate.” I mean, who knew she lost? (READ MORE)
Travelers’ Testimony: Freedom of Choice at Stake with Auto Bailout - Although my father was an employee of GM for over thirty years, we both agreed that the bailout was the worst plan for both the American people and the company. Those in favor of the bailout cry that the auto industry will die if they are not bailed out but in all reality, the auto industry has been in its last death throws for many years now. Part of the reason my father retired at thirty years was because they closed his plant and he did not want to relocate. My uncle did though and ended up relocating a few more times after the 1998 closing of the Kalamazoo GM plant. So, what is the conclusion then for GM and the other automakers? It is what any other company would do in the capitalist system, which is file for bankruptcy protection and restructure their antiquated business model. I know this will take sacrifice, which seemingly is a foreign premise any more in America. This sacrifice will not only come from the corporation itself but from the employees, the unions, and our government. (READ MORE)
Shawn Mallow: Patriotism: A Word Defined - I consider myself to be somewhat an amateur Revolutionary War history buff. I've recently read two exemplary books on the subject, "Patriots", by A.J. Langguth, and "1776", by David McCullough. As I am now reading through David McCullough's "John Adams", I am awestruck at just what these men of uncanny education and foresight were able to accomplish with what could only be described as perseverance of pure willpower. George Washington, between serving as both Commander in Chief of an undisciplined, untrained army, eventually being elected to two terms as our first president, gave almost 16 years of his life to an ideal. An ideal, which if it were not to have materialized, would have resulted in his hanging for high treason of British law. The same can be said of John Adams. (READ MORE)
Meryl Yourish: Pretend truce is officially over - The fantasy truce—the one where it’s okay to launch a few hundred rockets, instead of thousands—has been officially declared over by Hamas, and of course, it’s not their fault. It’s Israel’s. “Hamas on Thursday declared the end of a six-month-old Egyptian-brokered ceasefire with Israel in the Gaza Strip, raising the prospect of an escalation in cross-border fighting. ‘The calm, which was reached with Egyptian sponsorship on June 19 and expires on December 19, is finished because the enemy did not abide by its obligations,’ said Hamas member Ayman Taha, who represented the group in talks with other Palestinian factions. ‘The calm is over.’”
The European Union finally noticed the rocket fire and demanded that it stop. But not until it had the chance to tell Israel to stop defending herself, first. (READ MORE)
W. James Antle, III: Payback Time - Labor unions shelled out well over $100 million (pdf) in donations to political candidates during the 2008 election. More than 90 percent of that total went to Barack Obama and the Democrats. With President-elect Obama's nomination of Rep. Hilda Solis to be his secretary of labor, the payback has begun. Solis, a liberal Democratic congresswoman from Los Angeles, is one of big labor's best friends. Don't take my word for it, however. Listen to the chorus of union leaders and labor-friendly progressives praising her nomination. "Hilda Solis is an outstanding choice," Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union President Stuart Applebaum said in a statement. "She has demonstrated a life-long commitment to working people and, like President-elect Obama himself, knows first-hand how unions can lift poverty wage workers into the middle class." (READ MORE)
David N. Bass: Meet the New Climate Change Kid on the Block - Barack Obama announced his new energy team at a press conference Monday, sending a subtle slap down to President Bush by saying his administration would "value science" and "make decisions based on the facts." The four appointments are a precursor to what will be the most enviro-activist administration in American history. Among others, Obama tapped Carol Browner, former EPA chief in the Clinton administration, to head up a new office in the White House designed to coordinate environmental policies. In a move that will please multiple facets of his leftist base, he also picked Nancy Sutley (an open lesbian and current deputy mayor in Los Angeles) to lead the White House Council on Environmental Quality. The press conference underscored the Obama agenda for curbing so-called catastrophic climate change. That agenda will doubtless extend to supporting nonprofit organizations like the Climate Registry. (READ MORE)
Marc Ambinder; Democrats And The Legacy Question - Nepotism and dynasty are the politico-sociological phrases of the week, and Democrats who are digesting the possibility of Caroline Kennedy becoming a U.S. senator because she is Caroline Kennedy are concluding that the criticism is not entirely without merit. Using the word "nepotism" to describe the Kennedy situation is inaccurate. Kennedy is a legacy; her family is not in charge of the process of selection and does not exert any formal influence on the process. Legacies benefit from the social characteristics imputed to their families; their values, ideals and informal social influences. President John Adams appointed his son, John Quincy to be ambassador plenipotentiary to Prussia; JQA made peace with Britain during the Napoleonic Wars. The elder Adams worried about the appearance of nepotism, but his argument was sound: John Quincy was one of the very few Americans who had spent considerable time overseas, who knew the diplomatic causeways, and who the president trusted to handle the account. (READ MORE)
THE TYGRRRR EXPRESS: From Community Organizers to Socialites - A former Governor of a large state that maintained 70% popularity through most of his tenure would be considered an easy choice as a Presidential candidate. Yet sometimes events that are totally outside of the potential candidate’s control get in the way. It isn’t fair, and it isn’t right, but it is what it is. Despite being one of the best Governors in America, Jeb Bush of Florida will most likely be not be President. Republicans rave over him. Conservatives love him. He is married to a Latina, and has strong relations with the Latina community. Yet his last name is Bush. In an ideal world, people are judged on their own merits. In the real world, the company we keep, including at the dinner table on holidays, does matter. (READ MORE)
The Belmont Club: The horror. The horror. - Bill Roggio describes classic insurgent political theater. After defeating a tribal group opposed to them in Pakistan, Taliban executed its leaders and desecrated their bodies. “Pir Samiullah, a rival tribal and religious leader opposing Mullah Fazlullah’s forces in the Matta region of Swat, and eight of his followers were killed in a Taliban assault on Dec. 16. Two of his aides were subsequently beheaded in public, while an estimated 40 of his followers have been captured. ‘The Taliban also torched the houses of Samiullah and 15 elders of his group,’ Daily Times reported. After Samiullah was buried, the Taliban returned, dug up his body and hanged it in public. The Taliban made an example of Samiullah and those who oppose Fazlullah’s rule. Samiullah was the first tribal leader in Swat to raise a lashkar, or tribal army, to oppose the Taliban. He claimed to have organized more than 10,000 tribesmen to oppose the Taliban and protect 20 villages.” (READ MORE)
Big Dog: Obama’s Senate Seat Is For Blacks Only - A long time ago in this country there were truly disgusting practices that involved our society having whites only lunch counters, drinking fountains and seating on buses. The signs that read “Whites Only” reflect a particularly bad time in this country when people were judged on the color of their skin and nothing else. It seems that this is taking place in reverse in Illinois. The seat that Barack Obama was elected to (he never really occupied it) has a sign on it that reads “Blacks Only.” At least that is what Laura Washington of the Chicago Sun Times believes. To her, the mess with Governor Blago has created a situation where they might lose the black seat. You see, if there is an election then the people of Illinois might decide to elect a white person thereby taking the black seat away. You know how those racist whites are in Illinois are. (READ MORE)
CJ: Code Pink Gets Handled - I love when the Code Pink hags are put in their place. Their smug little holier-than-thou crap that they pull is so unproductive. They're ignorant seditionists who deserve a fate worse than the one they ultimately succumb to at the end of their life, whatever that may be. They have created suffering, pain, grief, frustration and anger for our troops and their family members. They have DIRECTLY funded terrorism and never apologized for it. And they continue to disrespect our wounded warriors at Walter Reed and other other rehab locations. Their current "Make out, now war" slogan forces bile into my throat. I don't even want to think of the what kind of man would "make out" with any of those women. Maybe they just make out with each other. In this video, Iraqi Ambassador Samir Sumaidaie addresses Code Pinko activists calling for the release of Muntadar al-Zaidi, the Iraqi journalist who threw his shoes at President Bush during a press conference in Baghdad. (READ MORE)
McQ: Perception - There’s’ no question in any thinking person’s mind that the financial meltdown was in large part as much a failure of government than greed on Wall Street. For the last few months, however, we’ve been treated to legislators acting like cats trying to cover up crap. We’ve also had to ensure their bloviating about how those on Wall Street who were a big reason for the crisis shouldn’t be getting raises or bonuses. Of course, like most of the laws they pass, that sort of reasoning doesn’t extend to Congress. All 535 of them will be getting a raise. As Howie Carr says: “Thanks for the subprime mortgage crisis, Barney Frank! Here’s your bonus for tanking the economy - another $4,700, on top of the $169,300 you were already making.” (READ MORE)
Charles Krauthammer: Princess Caroline Wants to Be Anointed - "I don't know what Caroline Kennedy's qualifications are. Except that she has name recognition, but so does J-Lo." -- Rep. Gary Ackerman, D-N.Y. WASHINGTON -- Right idea, wrong argument. The problem with Caroline Kennedy's presumption to Hillary Clinton's soon-to-be-vacated Senate seat is not lack of qualification or experience. The Senate houses lots of inexperienced rookies -- wealthy businessmen, sports stars, even the occasional actor. The problem is Kennedy's sense of entitlement. Given her rather modest achievements, she is trading entirely on pedigree. I hate to be a good government scold, but wasn't the American experiment a rather firm renunciation of government by pedigree? Yes, the Founders were not democrats. They believed in aristocracy. But their idea was government by natural -- not inherited -- aristocracy, an aristocracy of "virtue and talents," as Jefferson put it. (READ MORE)
Michelle Malkin: No Mercy for Jihad Johnny - If it's December, it's time for the left to throw another shameless pity party for convicted American jihadist John Walker Lindh (aka Suleyman al-Faris, aka Abdul Hamid). Every Christmas season for the past four years, the Taliban accomplice and his parents have asked President Bush to pardon him. This country should save its tears and mercy for the defenders of freedom. The farther we move from the September 11 attacks, the cloudier our collective memory of Lindh's case becomes. Sympathetic journalists have rewritten the history, embracing him as a naive young hippie-dippie from Marin County, Calif., who was just caught in the "wrong place at the wrong time." Others, like Esquire magazine writer Tom Junod, have proclaimed him "innocent" and lamented his life behind bars in a federal medium-security facility. Junod criticized the government for forbidding Lindh to speak Arabic -- human rights atrocity! (READ MORE)
Oliver North: Missing the Story -- Again - WASHINGTON -- This week, the so-called mainstream media fixated on a Baghdad shoe-throwing contest, more government bailout bucks, and the delightful prospect of having Caroline Kennedy appointed to Hillary Clinton's vacant seat in the U.S. Senate. The potentates of the press gave short shrift -- or simply ignored -- two far more important news stories: the first-ever assembly of Latin American leaders gathered to stick it to the United States and the passing of a great conservative leader who helped Ronald Reagan become one of America's greatest presidents. Both stories deserved more attention than they received. That, however, would require journalists, news directors and editors to have some knowledge of history and current events beyond what they can collect from a quick Google search and have attention spans greater than a fruit fly's. First, the Latin Leader Finger-in-the-Eye Stunt. (READ MORE)
John Hawkins: "Mama Government" Treats Americans Like Small Children - "I ask the three of you, how can we, as symbolically the children of the future president, expect the three of you to meet our needs, the needs in housing and in crime and you name it." -- A question from Denton Walthall AKA "The ponytail guy" at a 1992 presidential debate - In America, we come from pioneer stock. Our ancestors explored, conquered, and civilized a continent one wagon train and settlement at a time. They crossed hundreds of miles of hostile territory, risked starvation, murder by Indians, and dying alone in the wilderness to try to carve out a decent living for their families. That same ferociously independent spirit was what inspired our ancestors to throw off Britian's shackles and forge America into the greatest economic and military power the world has ever seen. (READ MORE)
Kimberly A. Strassel: Democrats Are the New Ethics Story - A note to all those visitors who will soon flood Washington for the inauguration: Be careful of the "swamp." That would be the swamp Speaker Nancy Pelosi vowed to drain when she led her party to victory in 2006. The GOP had been rocked by scandal, and Mrs. Pelosi and Democrats won, in part, by promising to clean up the "culture of corruption" that pervaded Washington. Instead, Democrats now have an image problem. The real issue isn't so much Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich's Senate-seat auction, as it is the focus that his scandal has directed toward a wider assortment of Democratic troubles. This isn't great timing for Barack Obama, who campaigned on cleaner government. The Blagojevich drama is titillating enough, and local Democrats' dithering over how to fill Mr. Obama's seat guarantees it will remain a storyline longer than is comfortable. (READ MORE)
Philip K. Howard: Let's 'Restructure' Washington While We're at It - Congress has been suitably tough in its advice to Detroit, calling for "a complete restructuring" of our failing auto makers. But how about restructuring Washington? The federal government is a giant Rube Goldberg machine that not only wastes hundreds of billions of dollars each year but also burdens local governments and the private sector with legal requirements that no longer serve the public good. Congress should take its own advice and retool Washington. Here's how: Cut "legacy obligations." Detroit cannot afford promises it made in past years. Neither can America. Last year, Congress once again reauthorized farm subsidies, mainly to large corporations, of over $10 billion annually. The farm bill, originally passed in 1933 to keep small farmers afloat (when 25% of Americans lived on farms), outlived its usefulness by the start of World War II. Today just 2% of Americans live on farms. (READ MORE)
Richard A. Epstein: The Employee Free Choice Act Is Unconstitutional - A top priority of the incoming Democratic Congress and Obama administration is the misnamed Employee Free Choice Act. The EFCA, as is well known, introduces a card-check procedure that allows a union to gain recognition without an election by secret ballot. Thereafter a government arbitration panel can impose, without judicial review, all the terms of an initial two-year collective "agreement" if the parties cannot negotiate an agreement within 130 days. It is commonly supposed that economic regulation is immune to constitutional challenge since the New Deal. That's not the case with this labor law. Consider card check and the First Amendment. Under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) today, an employer can insist upon a secret ballot after 30% of workers indicate by card checks their interest in a union. The campaign that follows lets the employer air his views about the downsides of unionization before the vote takes place. (READ MORE)
Have an interesting post or know of a "must read?" Then send a trackback here and let us all know about it. Or you can send me an email with a link to the post and I'll update the Recon.
In the News: (Registration may be required to read some stories)
The Real 'Torture' Disgrace - The release of Carl Levin's report on the Bush Administration's alleged "torture" policies was a formality: The Senator's conclusions were politically predetermined long ago. Still, the credulity and acclaim that has greeted this agitprop is embarrassing, even by Washington standards. (READ MORE)
A Dollar Referendum - As it has so often in recent months, the market elation that greeted the Federal Reserve's epic monetary easing earlier this week has turned to worry. Stocks fell off again yesterday, but the big news of the week has been the slide in the dollar. (READ MORE)
'Deep Throat' Mark Felt Dies at 95 - W. Mark Felt Sr., the associate director of the FBI during the Watergate scandal who, better known as "Deep Throat," became the most famous anonymous source in American history, died yesterday. He was 95. (READ MORE)
Obama Team Assembling $850 Billion Stimulus - President-elect Barack Obama and congressional Democrats have entered discussions over an economic stimulus package that could grow to include $850 billion in new spending and tax cuts over the next two years, a gigantic sum that some Democrats say could prove difficult to push rapidly through... (READ MORE)
Plans Being Drawn to Close Guantanamo Prison - The Pentagon is drawing up plans to shut the military prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to be prepared for any order from President-elect Barack Obama, who has promised to close the controversial facility after he assumes office Jan. 20, a defense official said yesterday. (READ MORE)
Arrests in Iraq Seen as Politically Motivated - BAGHDAD, Dec. 18 -- Iraqi politicians said Thursday that the arrests of government officials accused of supporting a group linked to Saddam Hussein's Baath Party was an attempt by Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to demonstrate his power. (READ MORE)
On the Web:
Donald Douglas: Gay Radicalism Key to Left's Agenda Under Obama - As regular readers know, the next stage of the left's agenda emerged on November 5th, the day after the election when Democrats saw the historic victory of the country's first black president. Obama's win was nevertheless regarded as "bittersweet" for many, as voters in California also passed Proposition 8, which restored marriage traditionalism to the state's constitution. Since then, we've seen a non-stop campaign of intimidation and show trials against the "bigots" and "homophobes" who exercised their rights by contributing to and voting on the passage of the initiative. We've already seen a lot of grumbling on the left during the Obama transition, of course. Leftists have been boiling with resentment over the "lack of representation" by "progressives" in the cabinet, as we've seen according to story after story in the press. (READ MORE)
Lawhawk: Pakistani Jails = Communications Hubs For Terrorists - Prisons are supposed to keep the terrorists from communicating with their fellow jihadis and prevent terror plots from being hatched. That is far from the case in Pakistan, where the terrorists behind the murder of Daniel Pearl were able to use the Pakistani jail as a communications hub from which to direct an assassination plot against Pervez Musharraf. If this is what the Pakistanis do with the terrorists in their custody, imagine what the terrorists are able to do in places like the frontier provinces? If anything, the situation is even worse than that since we have once again been provided with evidence showing that Pakistani authorities are busy aiding and abetting the jihadis in their war against the West. This thug hasn't had his death sentence carried out because he's got friends in high places - or in this case, the Pakistani ISI. (READ MORE)
David Schenker: Gifts from Iran and Russia to Lebanon? - Lebanese Minister of Defense Elias Murr just returned from Moscow where he received an offer of 10 MIG 29 “Fulcrum” aircraft. The MIGs would be a significant boost to Lebanon’s depleted and antiquated fixed wing fleet, which today is comprised of some five 1950s-era Hunter Hawker aircraft. The Russian donation compliments the Iranian offer this past November—in response to Lebanese President Michel Suleiman’s request—to provide weapons to the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF). Given Lebanon’s limited defense budget, it’s hard to imagine how the LAF would finance the maintenance of the Russian aircraft. Moreover, if Beirut were to accept the Russian and Iranian offers, there could be significant implications for US relations with the LAF. (READ MORE)
Bear Creek Ledger: Pelousi fiddles while the economy goes down in flames - Nancy Pelousi has no problem telling Wall Street or Auto executives to cut their salaries but look at what she’s just done! She’s given herself and Congress a PAY RAISE! A pay raise in a time when so many Americans are losing their jobs. How heartless and money grubbing can you get? She’s taking money out of the mouths of children by extorting the American taxpayer to give herself a raise. “IBD - Raise Some Hell - Hypocrisy: With workers losing jobs by the millions and taxpayers forced to rescue banks and carmakers, how does Nancy Pelosi’s Congress show it cares? By giving themselves a big pay raise. What a great time for taxpayers to give senators and congressmen a $2.5 million jump in their already bloated salaries. It’s tough to get by on $217,400 a year if you’re House Speaker Nancy Pelosi — even if, as the Washington Times reported, you funneled nearly $100,000 from your political action committee to your husband’s business over a decade.” (READ MORE)
Noah Shachtman: Wikileaks Posts Secret Bomb-Stopper Report — Did It Go Too Far? - In July, 2005, I asked a member of a Baghdad-based military bomb squad about the radio-frequency jammers his team was using to cut off signals to Iraq's remotely detonated explosives. His response: "I can't even begin to say the first fucking thing about 'em." A few days later, one of those jammers seemed to save me and him from getting blown up. Months after that, David Axe was thrown out of Iraq by the U.S. military, for a blog post which mentioned the Warlock family of jammers. So I was more than a little surprised, when I saw that Wikileaks had posted a classified report, outlining how the Warlock Red and Warlock Green jammers work with — and interfere with — military communications systems. The report, dated 2004, gives specific information about how the jammers function, their radiated power and which frequencies they stop. That Baghdad bomb tech would've put his fist through a wall, if he saw it out in public. (READ MORE)
Don Surber: Obamacare - A government doctor weighs in: “The same government that mishandled Katrina, created the current mortgage crisis, and failed to monitor Mr. Madoff is now going to run our health care.” If you ever want to become an instant expert on a subject, write a newspaper column. People will educate you quick. Especially after the column ran. When it is too late to save you from yourself. So I was delighted when a correspondent who is a medical doctor in the military wrote me about this week’s column on government-run health care. I share, sans name. I vouch for the authenticity. You can believe me or not. “Dear Mr. Surber, You are very wise. Your opinion of government run health care is spot on. I am a military doc serving to repay the government as they paid for my medical school. The little military clinic in which I serve is a great example of what is in store for Americans if OBAMAcare is enacted.” (READ MORE)
Hamilton, Madison, and Jay: The very definition of idiocy out of Congress - We have no confidence in this incoming Congress. These people are utter fools, and their obtuse ideas defy logic or reason. Geraghty the Indispensable explains the newest point of idiocy to come out of Congress: “Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-California, is talking about not only bringing back the Fairness Doctrine, but somehow, in some constitutionally dubious way, applying it to forms of communication that do not include public airwaves — i.e., cable and satellite programming. It is worth remembering, at moments like these, that Obama has said he opposes reinstating the Fairness Doctrine. It is also worth remembering, at moments like these, that all statements from Barack Obama come with an expiration date. All of them. Think about this. A congresswoman, believing that ‘there should be equal time for the spoken word,’ is going to have the government step in and regulate what can be said on privately owned communication systems, i.e., cable television and satellite radio. And at no point does it cross her mind that this would violate the First Amendment.” (READ MORE)
Gribbit's Word: Bush “Cronyism” Unmatched By Obama’s - Where’s The Leftist Backlash? - For all the leftist complaining that we’ve had to endure over the past 8 years about President George W. Bush’s supposed “cronyism”, the left seems awful silent on Barry’s. In the latest example of King (in waiting) Barry H. ‘Sorento’ Obama’s brand of “cronyism”, the ‘Chosen One’ has named the head of Chicago Schools to become Secretary of Education. That’s right campers, the ‘Messiah’ himself has named the chief of a failing public school system to a post which could lead to the widening of that failure. From FoxNews.com: “President-elect Barack Obama on Tuesday tapped Chicago schools chief Arne Duncan to be his education secretary, calling Duncan a hands-on and unyielding advocate who would help craft a ‘new vision’ for education in America.” His vision? Widespread poverty and ignorance. (READ MORE)
Jules Crittenden: Managing Your Greenwald Relationship - The Other McCain has been graced with a Greenwald citation. High honor. If you wish to continue to be mentioned by the (throughly self-documented) great one, it is important that you avoid a few pitfalls. No references to that unfortunate “sockpuppet” affair. Greenwald has an ego so big, the extensive self-adulation of his “about” and the real estate at Salon being insufficient to the task, it has required other online identities to fully express it. I’d suggest you also avoid out-and-out mockery, as despite being a constitutional lawyer and purportedly bestselling author … “American Morons: Takes One To Know One,” ”A Constitutional Argument For Hanging George Bush By His Thumbs” and “How Would a Patriot Act? How Would I Know?” something like that — apparently people actually buy this stuff … Greenwald is very thin-skinned. (READ MORE)
Knee Deep In The Hooah!: Please Mr. President, NOT this bailout! - Mike Spann died serving his Country. He can not be pardoned, he can not be brought back and given back to his family and his Country. Spann was the first American casualty in Afghanistan. A young American man from California was present that day after he had left America to study Islam. He had joined the Taliban and had knowledge of the revolt that would lead to Spann’s death. Lindh, the American turned Taliban was not only present when Spann was killed, but he had foreknowledge of what was about to happen. Lindh and his family are asking President Bush for the most vulgar bailout proposal yet — they want a pardon from a sentence that many feel is already too short (20-years). CNN reported yesterday that Lindh is asking for President Bush to pardon him from his 20 year sentence. Lindh left the US and joined the Taliban. His parents claim that he did not participate in terrorist activities nor did he fight against US Forces. (READ MORE)
neo-neocon: Whatever Caroline wants, Caroline gets? - It came as a surprise to me to hear that Caroline Kennedy is pushing to be appointed as the replacement for New York Senator Hillary Clinton. I had always been under the impression that Caroline was a quiet and retiring sort, eschewing the public limelight for the more private joys of literature and the arts, philanthropy, and above all family. She was also a person who had learned only too well the perils of political fame. She seemed to step into an official role only reluctantly and intermittently, although with her lineage she could easily have run for office long ago. Welcome to the new Caroline. Except for her name and her law degree, she appears to lack any particular qualifications for the job, although it must be said that she is a bona fide New Yorker, unlike her late-arrival predecessor Hillary or earlier relative and NY Senator Bobby Kennedy. (READ MORE)
Donald Sensing: Qualifications and credentials - In the 1970s the US Army assessed the damage done to the officer corps by the Vietnam War. It wasn't pretty. Careerism had largely displaced professionalism. Col. Dandrige Malone, one of the principal assessors, wrote that the Army's historic code, "Duty, honor, country," had been pretty much replaced by "Me, my [rear] and my career." The Army's centuries-old ethic, not to lie, cheat or steal, not to tolerate anyone who does, had come to be honored only in the breach. With a combat leader's success in the profession was being measured primarily by how many dead enemy he reported after a fight - the now-mocked "body count syndrome" - body count inflation became rampant. A platoon leader would report, probably honestly, say 12 enemy killed. The company commander would add another five, the battalion commander another four, and by the time the report reached division, a 15-minute firefight would wind up having killed almost three-dozen VC or NVA. (READ MORE)
ShrinkWrapped: Moore's Law, an Economy of Abundance, and Disruptive Technology - The four most dangerous words for our economy are "this time is different." Anyone who has lived through and paid attention to, the last few bubble iterations (dot.com, housing, financial) knows that when the good times are rolling, the Cassandras who warn of impending doom are typically silenced with words to the effect that "this time is different." It raises the question of what conditions would need to exist for the economy to actually reach a point where the ruleswould change; in other words, what conditions could enable an economic singularity? The triumph of liberal capitalism (though in the present context of the early days of a frightening recession it may not seem particularly triumphant) has been the creation of wealth. By leveraging individual genius we were able to create a self-perpetuating technology that has raised the standard of living of even the poorest Westerner to levels that Kings could only dream about in the past. (READ MORE)
Susan Katz Keating: Ban on Blackwater? Read the Smoke - Interesting smoke patterns are wafting up from certain halls within Federal City. Mil-planning seems to be much on the politicians' minds. Here's what I see, and here's how I read it. Some powerful American politicians want the United States to stop using private security contractors in Iraq and Afghanistan. The burn pile mainly is the U.S.-based private security firm, Blackwater Worldwide. Sen. John Kerry, who will take the helm of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in January, wants the State Department to fire the American-based security firm. Additionally, the presumptive incoming Secretaryof State, Sen. Hillary Clinton, has cosponsored legislation to ban the use of private security contractors in Iraq and Afghanistan. (READ MORE)
Warner Todd Huston: In Case You Forgot, AP Still Reminding Palin’s a ‘Failed Republican Vice Presidential Candidate’ - I don’t know. Maybe the Associated Press thinks that no one is aware that John McCain lost his race for the White House? Maybe the AP thinks no one is aware that his choice for VP, Governor Sarah Palin, lost right along with him? Maybe the AP thinks that hardly any American has gotten the word that Obama and slow Joe Biden won on November 4th? The AP sure acts as if they think people still need it pointed out that Governor Sarah Palin is “the failed Republican vice presidential candidate.” At least if its current report on the latest doings in Alaska is concerned, anyway. After all, right in the middle of a report on Alaska state workers having sent around some race tinged joke emails, the AP helpfully reminds us that Palin is that aforementioned “failed Republican vice presidential candidate.” I mean, who knew she lost? (READ MORE)
Travelers’ Testimony: Freedom of Choice at Stake with Auto Bailout - Although my father was an employee of GM for over thirty years, we both agreed that the bailout was the worst plan for both the American people and the company. Those in favor of the bailout cry that the auto industry will die if they are not bailed out but in all reality, the auto industry has been in its last death throws for many years now. Part of the reason my father retired at thirty years was because they closed his plant and he did not want to relocate. My uncle did though and ended up relocating a few more times after the 1998 closing of the Kalamazoo GM plant. So, what is the conclusion then for GM and the other automakers? It is what any other company would do in the capitalist system, which is file for bankruptcy protection and restructure their antiquated business model. I know this will take sacrifice, which seemingly is a foreign premise any more in America. This sacrifice will not only come from the corporation itself but from the employees, the unions, and our government. (READ MORE)
Shawn Mallow: Patriotism: A Word Defined - I consider myself to be somewhat an amateur Revolutionary War history buff. I've recently read two exemplary books on the subject, "Patriots", by A.J. Langguth, and "1776", by David McCullough. As I am now reading through David McCullough's "John Adams", I am awestruck at just what these men of uncanny education and foresight were able to accomplish with what could only be described as perseverance of pure willpower. George Washington, between serving as both Commander in Chief of an undisciplined, untrained army, eventually being elected to two terms as our first president, gave almost 16 years of his life to an ideal. An ideal, which if it were not to have materialized, would have resulted in his hanging for high treason of British law. The same can be said of John Adams. (READ MORE)
Meryl Yourish: Pretend truce is officially over - The fantasy truce—the one where it’s okay to launch a few hundred rockets, instead of thousands—has been officially declared over by Hamas, and of course, it’s not their fault. It’s Israel’s. “Hamas on Thursday declared the end of a six-month-old Egyptian-brokered ceasefire with Israel in the Gaza Strip, raising the prospect of an escalation in cross-border fighting. ‘The calm, which was reached with Egyptian sponsorship on June 19 and expires on December 19, is finished because the enemy did not abide by its obligations,’ said Hamas member Ayman Taha, who represented the group in talks with other Palestinian factions. ‘The calm is over.’”
The European Union finally noticed the rocket fire and demanded that it stop. But not until it had the chance to tell Israel to stop defending herself, first. (READ MORE)
W. James Antle, III: Payback Time - Labor unions shelled out well over $100 million (pdf) in donations to political candidates during the 2008 election. More than 90 percent of that total went to Barack Obama and the Democrats. With President-elect Obama's nomination of Rep. Hilda Solis to be his secretary of labor, the payback has begun. Solis, a liberal Democratic congresswoman from Los Angeles, is one of big labor's best friends. Don't take my word for it, however. Listen to the chorus of union leaders and labor-friendly progressives praising her nomination. "Hilda Solis is an outstanding choice," Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union President Stuart Applebaum said in a statement. "She has demonstrated a life-long commitment to working people and, like President-elect Obama himself, knows first-hand how unions can lift poverty wage workers into the middle class." (READ MORE)
David N. Bass: Meet the New Climate Change Kid on the Block - Barack Obama announced his new energy team at a press conference Monday, sending a subtle slap down to President Bush by saying his administration would "value science" and "make decisions based on the facts." The four appointments are a precursor to what will be the most enviro-activist administration in American history. Among others, Obama tapped Carol Browner, former EPA chief in the Clinton administration, to head up a new office in the White House designed to coordinate environmental policies. In a move that will please multiple facets of his leftist base, he also picked Nancy Sutley (an open lesbian and current deputy mayor in Los Angeles) to lead the White House Council on Environmental Quality. The press conference underscored the Obama agenda for curbing so-called catastrophic climate change. That agenda will doubtless extend to supporting nonprofit organizations like the Climate Registry. (READ MORE)
Marc Ambinder; Democrats And The Legacy Question - Nepotism and dynasty are the politico-sociological phrases of the week, and Democrats who are digesting the possibility of Caroline Kennedy becoming a U.S. senator because she is Caroline Kennedy are concluding that the criticism is not entirely without merit. Using the word "nepotism" to describe the Kennedy situation is inaccurate. Kennedy is a legacy; her family is not in charge of the process of selection and does not exert any formal influence on the process. Legacies benefit from the social characteristics imputed to their families; their values, ideals and informal social influences. President John Adams appointed his son, John Quincy to be ambassador plenipotentiary to Prussia; JQA made peace with Britain during the Napoleonic Wars. The elder Adams worried about the appearance of nepotism, but his argument was sound: John Quincy was one of the very few Americans who had spent considerable time overseas, who knew the diplomatic causeways, and who the president trusted to handle the account. (READ MORE)
THE TYGRRRR EXPRESS: From Community Organizers to Socialites - A former Governor of a large state that maintained 70% popularity through most of his tenure would be considered an easy choice as a Presidential candidate. Yet sometimes events that are totally outside of the potential candidate’s control get in the way. It isn’t fair, and it isn’t right, but it is what it is. Despite being one of the best Governors in America, Jeb Bush of Florida will most likely be not be President. Republicans rave over him. Conservatives love him. He is married to a Latina, and has strong relations with the Latina community. Yet his last name is Bush. In an ideal world, people are judged on their own merits. In the real world, the company we keep, including at the dinner table on holidays, does matter. (READ MORE)
The Belmont Club: The horror. The horror. - Bill Roggio describes classic insurgent political theater. After defeating a tribal group opposed to them in Pakistan, Taliban executed its leaders and desecrated their bodies. “Pir Samiullah, a rival tribal and religious leader opposing Mullah Fazlullah’s forces in the Matta region of Swat, and eight of his followers were killed in a Taliban assault on Dec. 16. Two of his aides were subsequently beheaded in public, while an estimated 40 of his followers have been captured. ‘The Taliban also torched the houses of Samiullah and 15 elders of his group,’ Daily Times reported. After Samiullah was buried, the Taliban returned, dug up his body and hanged it in public. The Taliban made an example of Samiullah and those who oppose Fazlullah’s rule. Samiullah was the first tribal leader in Swat to raise a lashkar, or tribal army, to oppose the Taliban. He claimed to have organized more than 10,000 tribesmen to oppose the Taliban and protect 20 villages.” (READ MORE)
Big Dog: Obama’s Senate Seat Is For Blacks Only - A long time ago in this country there were truly disgusting practices that involved our society having whites only lunch counters, drinking fountains and seating on buses. The signs that read “Whites Only” reflect a particularly bad time in this country when people were judged on the color of their skin and nothing else. It seems that this is taking place in reverse in Illinois. The seat that Barack Obama was elected to (he never really occupied it) has a sign on it that reads “Blacks Only.” At least that is what Laura Washington of the Chicago Sun Times believes. To her, the mess with Governor Blago has created a situation where they might lose the black seat. You see, if there is an election then the people of Illinois might decide to elect a white person thereby taking the black seat away. You know how those racist whites are in Illinois are. (READ MORE)
CJ: Code Pink Gets Handled - I love when the Code Pink hags are put in their place. Their smug little holier-than-thou crap that they pull is so unproductive. They're ignorant seditionists who deserve a fate worse than the one they ultimately succumb to at the end of their life, whatever that may be. They have created suffering, pain, grief, frustration and anger for our troops and their family members. They have DIRECTLY funded terrorism and never apologized for it. And they continue to disrespect our wounded warriors at Walter Reed and other other rehab locations. Their current "Make out, now war" slogan forces bile into my throat. I don't even want to think of the what kind of man would "make out" with any of those women. Maybe they just make out with each other. In this video, Iraqi Ambassador Samir Sumaidaie addresses Code Pinko activists calling for the release of Muntadar al-Zaidi, the Iraqi journalist who threw his shoes at President Bush during a press conference in Baghdad. (READ MORE)
McQ: Perception - There’s’ no question in any thinking person’s mind that the financial meltdown was in large part as much a failure of government than greed on Wall Street. For the last few months, however, we’ve been treated to legislators acting like cats trying to cover up crap. We’ve also had to ensure their bloviating about how those on Wall Street who were a big reason for the crisis shouldn’t be getting raises or bonuses. Of course, like most of the laws they pass, that sort of reasoning doesn’t extend to Congress. All 535 of them will be getting a raise. As Howie Carr says: “Thanks for the subprime mortgage crisis, Barney Frank! Here’s your bonus for tanking the economy - another $4,700, on top of the $169,300 you were already making.” (READ MORE)
Charles Krauthammer: Princess Caroline Wants to Be Anointed - "I don't know what Caroline Kennedy's qualifications are. Except that she has name recognition, but so does J-Lo." -- Rep. Gary Ackerman, D-N.Y. WASHINGTON -- Right idea, wrong argument. The problem with Caroline Kennedy's presumption to Hillary Clinton's soon-to-be-vacated Senate seat is not lack of qualification or experience. The Senate houses lots of inexperienced rookies -- wealthy businessmen, sports stars, even the occasional actor. The problem is Kennedy's sense of entitlement. Given her rather modest achievements, she is trading entirely on pedigree. I hate to be a good government scold, but wasn't the American experiment a rather firm renunciation of government by pedigree? Yes, the Founders were not democrats. They believed in aristocracy. But their idea was government by natural -- not inherited -- aristocracy, an aristocracy of "virtue and talents," as Jefferson put it. (READ MORE)
Michelle Malkin: No Mercy for Jihad Johnny - If it's December, it's time for the left to throw another shameless pity party for convicted American jihadist John Walker Lindh (aka Suleyman al-Faris, aka Abdul Hamid). Every Christmas season for the past four years, the Taliban accomplice and his parents have asked President Bush to pardon him. This country should save its tears and mercy for the defenders of freedom. The farther we move from the September 11 attacks, the cloudier our collective memory of Lindh's case becomes. Sympathetic journalists have rewritten the history, embracing him as a naive young hippie-dippie from Marin County, Calif., who was just caught in the "wrong place at the wrong time." Others, like Esquire magazine writer Tom Junod, have proclaimed him "innocent" and lamented his life behind bars in a federal medium-security facility. Junod criticized the government for forbidding Lindh to speak Arabic -- human rights atrocity! (READ MORE)
Oliver North: Missing the Story -- Again - WASHINGTON -- This week, the so-called mainstream media fixated on a Baghdad shoe-throwing contest, more government bailout bucks, and the delightful prospect of having Caroline Kennedy appointed to Hillary Clinton's vacant seat in the U.S. Senate. The potentates of the press gave short shrift -- or simply ignored -- two far more important news stories: the first-ever assembly of Latin American leaders gathered to stick it to the United States and the passing of a great conservative leader who helped Ronald Reagan become one of America's greatest presidents. Both stories deserved more attention than they received. That, however, would require journalists, news directors and editors to have some knowledge of history and current events beyond what they can collect from a quick Google search and have attention spans greater than a fruit fly's. First, the Latin Leader Finger-in-the-Eye Stunt. (READ MORE)
John Hawkins: "Mama Government" Treats Americans Like Small Children - "I ask the three of you, how can we, as symbolically the children of the future president, expect the three of you to meet our needs, the needs in housing and in crime and you name it." -- A question from Denton Walthall AKA "The ponytail guy" at a 1992 presidential debate - In America, we come from pioneer stock. Our ancestors explored, conquered, and civilized a continent one wagon train and settlement at a time. They crossed hundreds of miles of hostile territory, risked starvation, murder by Indians, and dying alone in the wilderness to try to carve out a decent living for their families. That same ferociously independent spirit was what inspired our ancestors to throw off Britian's shackles and forge America into the greatest economic and military power the world has ever seen. (READ MORE)
Kimberly A. Strassel: Democrats Are the New Ethics Story - A note to all those visitors who will soon flood Washington for the inauguration: Be careful of the "swamp." That would be the swamp Speaker Nancy Pelosi vowed to drain when she led her party to victory in 2006. The GOP had been rocked by scandal, and Mrs. Pelosi and Democrats won, in part, by promising to clean up the "culture of corruption" that pervaded Washington. Instead, Democrats now have an image problem. The real issue isn't so much Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich's Senate-seat auction, as it is the focus that his scandal has directed toward a wider assortment of Democratic troubles. This isn't great timing for Barack Obama, who campaigned on cleaner government. The Blagojevich drama is titillating enough, and local Democrats' dithering over how to fill Mr. Obama's seat guarantees it will remain a storyline longer than is comfortable. (READ MORE)
Philip K. Howard: Let's 'Restructure' Washington While We're at It - Congress has been suitably tough in its advice to Detroit, calling for "a complete restructuring" of our failing auto makers. But how about restructuring Washington? The federal government is a giant Rube Goldberg machine that not only wastes hundreds of billions of dollars each year but also burdens local governments and the private sector with legal requirements that no longer serve the public good. Congress should take its own advice and retool Washington. Here's how: Cut "legacy obligations." Detroit cannot afford promises it made in past years. Neither can America. Last year, Congress once again reauthorized farm subsidies, mainly to large corporations, of over $10 billion annually. The farm bill, originally passed in 1933 to keep small farmers afloat (when 25% of Americans lived on farms), outlived its usefulness by the start of World War II. Today just 2% of Americans live on farms. (READ MORE)
Richard A. Epstein: The Employee Free Choice Act Is Unconstitutional - A top priority of the incoming Democratic Congress and Obama administration is the misnamed Employee Free Choice Act. The EFCA, as is well known, introduces a card-check procedure that allows a union to gain recognition without an election by secret ballot. Thereafter a government arbitration panel can impose, without judicial review, all the terms of an initial two-year collective "agreement" if the parties cannot negotiate an agreement within 130 days. It is commonly supposed that economic regulation is immune to constitutional challenge since the New Deal. That's not the case with this labor law. Consider card check and the First Amendment. Under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) today, an employer can insist upon a secret ballot after 30% of workers indicate by card checks their interest in a union. The campaign that follows lets the employer air his views about the downsides of unionization before the vote takes place. (READ MORE)
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